


If You Asked Me If I Love Him (I'd Lie)

by allyasavedtheday



Series: A Long Way From The Playground [2]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Established Relationship, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Weddings, harry and louis are terrible liars, pretend not to be dating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-23
Updated: 2016-02-23
Packaged: 2018-05-19 10:22:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 26,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5963851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allyasavedtheday/pseuds/allyasavedtheday
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So Harry and Louis might have fucked up.</p><p>The day of their wedding was the single most perfect moment of Louis’ life and every single day since where he’s been able to call Harry his husband has been nothing short of bliss. There’s just one teeny, tiny problem…</p><p>Their families don’t know they’re married.</p><p>*</p><p>Or the one where Harry and Louis eloped but neglected to mention it to anyone. Meanwhile Lottie is getting married and the only way for them to <i>not</i> steal her thunder is by pretending they're just friends for the weekend. Featuring Harry and Louis as terrible liars who don't know the meaning of the word platonic and some Tomlinsons and Styles's who definitely don't believe them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If You Asked Me If I Love Him (I'd Lie)

**Author's Note:**

> adsjfhds okay!! so welcome to the fastest fic i've probably ever written ever??? literally I wrote this in four weeks and I honestly can't remember if I've ever done that with a story this length before? basically i'm really, really fucking excited about this one and I sincerely hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it <3
> 
> I bumped up Lottie's age a little (so she's around 23) but other than that I don't think there's much you need to know! one direction and everyone associated with them are not mine, this is a work of fiction etc etc. the title comes from I'd Lie by Taylor Swift (don't yell at me, it fits okay? lmao)
> 
> I need to say a million thank yous to [Frankie](http://w-ldestdreams.tumblr.com/) for taking the time out to britpick for me, you're an absolute star! <3 also a massive thank you to [Tina](http://louiswhitepants.tumblr.com/) for basically being my cheerleader this entire time and letting me yell at her every day for about six weeks while i wrote and edited, I couldn't have done it without you <3
> 
> **Edit: Friends, I've written a prequel! Since a lot of people wanted the story of how they got together in the first place and since I _love_ this 'verse so much I figured I'd go for it! so if you want to read that, just press the lil back arrow next to the series title :)
> 
> This fic has now been translated into Russian which you can find [here](https://ficbook.net/readfic/4487143) :)

So Harry and Louis might have fucked up.

The day of their wedding was the single most perfect moment of Louis’ life and every single day since where he’s been able to call Harry his husband has been nothing short of bliss. There’s just one teeny, tiny problem…

Their families don’t know they’re married.

Strike that, their families don’t even know they’re  _together_.

It’s not on purpose, it’s just- well, they sort of…eloped.

Look, they’d been stupid for a really long time and when they finally realised how ridiculously, dreadfully head over heels in love with each other they were after twenty years of friendship, they didn’t want to wait anymore.

So after some messy albeit emotional love confessions and one too many kisses, they made a split-second decision and climbed into Louis’ shitty car and drove to the registry office. The whole thing was impersonal and rushed but the moment Louis looked into Harry’s glittering eyes all the craziness and all the consequences just fell away. They spouted off rambling tangents about how much they loved each other as their vows and he’s quite certain the witnesses the courthouse provided spent the whole ceremony trying not to laugh as Harry tripped over his words and both of them kept giggling - even still when there were tears in their eyes.

They’d disappeared to Barcelona for a week afterwards, both of them calling in sick to work and texting the boys to tell them they’d explain later. They spent seven days alternating between lying on the beach and in their bed, mapping out every inch of each other’s bodies and realising the shift from friends to more than friends –  _husbands_  – honestly isn’t all that hard when you’ve been unknowingly acting like a married couple for at least eight years of your friendship.

It wasn’t until they’d come home that they realised their little adventure kind of effected more than just them. Case in point; Zayn, Liam and Niall refused to talk to them for over a day when they found out they hadn’t been invited to the wedding before proceeding to yell angrily about how happy they were for them and then hugging them ridiculously hard.

It made Harry and Louis somewhat… _reticent_  to tell their families. Specifically, their mothers.

It’s not that they meant to keep it a secret it’s just, well, their mums are really scary, okay?

And if their  _friends_ reacted like that to Harry and Louis getting married without them, what would their mothers do? Their mothers who’ve been not so secretly hoping they’d end up together since Louis was six and Harry was four and they were still taking baths together. So they put it off, and they put it off and now it’s been nine months and neither of their families knows they’re even  _together_  and there’s a message from Jay on Louis’ phone asking how soon before Lottie’s wedding he’ll arrive home.

Home.

For Lottie’s wedding.

With Harry.

Where both of their families will be waiting for them.

Fuck.

“Haz?” Louis calls nervously, twisting his phone in his hands as he hears light footfalls make their way to the living room.

“Yeah, babe?” Harry’s leaning against the doorway, apron on, hair in a messy bun and wooden spoon in hand. He must be in the middle of dinner.

“Um, I have a message from my mum,” he continues hesitantly, watching Harry’s brow furrow. He doesn’t get it yet.

“Okay…” Harry says slowly, moving further into the room. “Is she okay? Are the girls okay?”

“Yeah, yeah they’re fine,” Louis assures, waving a hand. He tries not to gulp too audibly when Harry sits down next to him, setting the wooden spoon on the coffee table. “It’s just um- well Lottie’s wedding. It’s in two weeks.”

Harry’s eyes widen in realisation and he leans back. He looks slightly dumbfounded, his mouth dropped open in surprise, and Louis instantly knows he isn’t the only one who completely forgot.

“Oh.”

Yeah.  _Oh_.

“We haven’t told them we’re married yet,” Harry says dazedly. He looks a bit green honestly, maybe they should’ve thought of this sooner…

Tentatively, Louis reaches out a hand and twines it with Harry’s. The fact that Harry immediately tightens his fingers around Louis’ serves to calm him somewhat.

Steeling himself, he voices their only viable option. “I don’t think we should tell them yet.”

Harry’s gaze snaps to him in an instant, eyes wide as saucers. “ _What?!”_  he asks incredulously.

“Lottie’s been planning this wedding for a year and a half!” Louis rushes to explain. “We’d be stealing her thunder if we told everyone  _now_. And you know our mums would kill us, I don’t want to spend the weekend dealing with the silent treatment from my entire extended family.”

“So, what? You want us to pretend we’re not married?” Harry says like the very notion is completely preposterous. He sounds slightly calmer, at least.

“And maybe that we’re still just mates?” Louis winces, scrunching his eyes shut against the inevitable outburst.

“Louis!” Harry yells indignantly, snatching his hand out of Louis’ grasp to smack his arm. And yeah, he’s definitely offended.

“H, people have been waiting for us to get together for literal years! Lottie would kill us if we came home and announced we’re a couple. You know it’d take the focus off her and that’s not fair.” Louis is also still maybe, slightly terrified of his mother’s reaction to them keeping it a secret for so long.

He scoots closer to Harry, settling an arm around his shoulders and silently thanking god he doesn’t shrug him off. “Baby, I promise we’ll tell everyone as soon as Lottie’s on her honeymoon, okay?” he beseeches, breathing a sigh of relief when Harry’s hand falls on his thigh. “But let’s just keep it between us for that weekend, yeah? Come on, it can’t be that hard to pretend.”

Harry scoffs, side-eyeing him sceptically. “You realise this means you won’t be able to kiss me the whole time we’re home?” he reminds. “Or touch me or hold my hand or sleep in the same bed as me?”

Louis is about to protest when he realises Harry is right. If they go home as just friends Harry will stay in his mum’s house and Louis will stay in his. And sure, they were tactile as friends but nowhere near as intimate as they are now. And he’ll have to take off his wedding ring. He hasn’t taken it off since the moment he put it on except to shower.

“We won’t be in public the whole time,” he mumbles weakly.

Harry huffs a laugh, leaning in and bumping his forehead against Louis’ affectionately. “We’ll do it for Lottie,” he murmurs softly. “And the lads will be there. They can help us if we get caught in a sticky situation.”

Louis secretly thinks Niall, Liam and Zayn would be much happier watching them suffer than actually helping them but he doesn’t say that out loud.

“You’re right,” he replies with more confidence than he feels. Now that Harry’s actually agreed he’s suddenly not feeling so sure about this whole idea. “We can do this.”

*

They can’t do this.

It’s two days before the wedding, they’ve been driving for just over two hours and the closer they get to Holmes Chapel, the more Louis feels like he’s going to throw up. Harry, for his part, has been nervously jiggling his leg where he sits in the passenger seat for the past twenty minutes.

Louis reaches out and places a hand over his knee, feeling Harry’s leg go still beneath him. He gives Harry a small smile when he glances away from the road and pats his leg comfortingly.

“We’re gonna fuck this up, aren’t we?” Harry asks bluntly.

“We’re not gonna fuck it up,” Louis soothes, purposely ignoring the dread in his own stomach.

“Lou, I’m a terrible liar,” Harry points out. “And you can’t last five minutes without calling me “love” or “baby”.”

“I did that before we got together,” he reasons with a scoff. God, he was a stupid teenager. How did it take him until he was  _twenty-six_  to realise he was in love with Harry?

Harry doesn’t say anything and when Louis risks another look at him he sees him smiling to himself, blush prominent on his cheeks. It makes Louis’ own lips quirk up happily. Yeah, maybe it took them a long time to get here but where they were before wasn’t so bad either.

“We’ll be  _fine_ , love,” he promises. “No one’s going to be looking at us anyway. Mum and Fizzy’ll be far too caught up in helping Lottie and I reckon Gems and your mum will be in the same boat.”

Harry takes a deep breath before nodding. “You’re right, you’re right. This just feels a little ridiculous,” he adds sheepishly.

“Like we’re teenagers sneaking around behind our mums’ backs?” Louis laughs because they haven’t even seen their parents yet and it already kind of feels like that. Louis always feels like a child again whenever he’s around his mum; it’s even more heightened under the current circumstances.

Harry barks a laugh and hums in agreement. “They’re gonna be so mad when they find out, Lou.”

“What d’you say to another trip to Barcelona? Y’know, just in case we have to go on the run after we tell them,” Louis jokes, smile stretching into a grin when Harry giggles and lightly hits his arm.

“S’not funny, babe,” he whines even though he’s still laughing. “They’re gonna kill us.”

“It’s a little funny, Haz,” Louis coaxes, the knot in his stomach loosening a little more the longer Harry laughs. “If nothing else, it’ll be a good story to tell our kids one day.”

“Our kids,” Harry repeats softly. When he looks at Harry he’s twisted in his seat to face him, hand sliding into the one Louis still has resting on his knee. “We’re gonna have babies one day,” he murmurs, smile something soft and tender that tugs at Louis’ chest.

“Then our mums will _have_ to forgive us. They can’t be mad at us if we give them grandchildren,” Louis rationalises and it sets Harry into another fit of laughter.

Driving home doesn’t feel so scary after that.

*

Arriving at Louis’ actual house, however, is another matter.

It looks like they haven’t been spotted since there’re no children racing out of the house and infiltrating the car just yet.

Louis turns off the ignition and undoes his belt, turning in his seat to face Harry. “Ready?”

“Not really,” Harry mutters but he still smiles when Louis reaches across the console and locks their pinkies together. “Suppose it’d be too much to sneak a kiss now?”

“I think we shouldn’t blow our cover ten seconds after we arrive,” Louis teases lightly but he still lifts Harry’s hand to his lips and presses a kiss to his knuckles. On the off chance anyone’s watching, he should be blocked by Harry’s head. Taking a deep breath, he drops Harry’s hand and offers him a smile. “Let’s go, baby.”

“Wait!” Harry stops him suddenly, catching Louis’ left hand. “We need to take these off first.”

Louis looks down at his own hand, cradled in Harry’s, and sees his wedding ring. He doesn’t want to take it off. He  _never_  wants to take it off but he doesn’t have much of a choice. Frowning slightly, he lets Harry slip the ring off his finger before he takes off his own.

“Hold them a sec,” Harry requests quietly and Louis wordlessly curls his fingers around the rings while Harry reaches up and undoes the chain around his neck. Louis watches as he slides the rings onto the chain and refastens it around his neck, hiding it underneath his t-shirt.

Harry smiles at him once he’s done, taking Louis’ hand and squeezing it in reassurance. “I’m ready now.”

They step out of the car at the same time and it seems that’s all anyone in Louis’ house had been waiting for because the door flings open as soon as they reach the footpath and two sets of twins come hurtling towards them.

Shouts of “Louis!” mingle with shouts of “Harry!” and Louis can’t help but feel emotional at how much his siblings already regard Harry as part of the family.

Daisy and Ernie come crashing into his arms while Phoebe and Doris make a beeline for Harry. Doris always did have a soft spot for Harry from the moment she was born. Daisy and Phoebe generally seem to alternate between Harry and Louis as to who their favourite is at any given time.

“Daisy Tomlinson, is that makeup you’re wearing?” Louis demands once he has Ernie settled comfortably against his hip and Daisy at an arm’s length.

She rolls her eyes in a way that Lottie definitely taught her before indignantly informing him that, “Pheebs is wearing it too.”

Phoebe detaches herself from Harry to glare at her sister. “What did you have to tell him that for?”

Harry laughs, drawing Daisy’s attention and sending her running over to hug him instead, evidently done with her big brother for now.

Louis stifles a laugh and drags Phoebe into a hug instead, nodding along to her chattering as he makes his way up the path to the front door.

He can hear Doris’ delighted squeals of laughter behind him which means Harry is probably acting ridiculously adorable right now. It takes everything in Louis not to turn around and watch.

Instead, he pushes through the front door and smiles fondly after Daisy and Phoebe racing upstairs as he calls for his mum. Harry touches his shoulder then, expression lit up excitedly. “Wanna switch?” he whispers, gesturing to Doris in his arms.

Louis feels his smile grow and nods, holding an arm out for his little sister. “How’s my favourite girl?” he coos. The twins are four now and probably too heavy to be carried but he doesn’t plan on letting them go any time soon.

Harry makes grabby hands for Ernest, lifting him into his arms as soon as he’s deposited Doris in Louis’ and talking to him in a funny voice to make him laugh.

It’s at that moment that Louis’ mum appears in the hallway, smiling affectionately at the sight in front of her. “Well hello there, strangers!” she calls to get their attention.

Louis looks up and knows his expression lights up when their eyes meet. He opts to set Doris down for now to pull her into a proper hug. “Hi mum.”

“Lou,” she greets softly, arms squeezing tightly around him. God, he’s missed her.

She pulls back after a moment, hands planted on his shoulders as she regards him with a shrewd eye. He suddenly feels anxious, like he has “Just Married” tattooed on his forehead but she seems satisfied and lets him go, turning instead to Harry.

“Harry, love,” she says warmly. “I’m so glad you came down early as well.”

“Of course, Jay,” he nods, stepping forward to hug her after he puts Ernie down. “Made sense to just drive down when Lou was.”

“Ah yes, how is that flat of yours?” Jay asks after she lets him go, eyeing both of them amusedly. Fuck, thank god they were living together before they got married. At least she knows  _that much_. “My boy not messing up the place too bad, I hope?” she questions Harry.

Louis lets out an incensed, “ _Hey!”_  but Harry only laughs, shaking his head.

“He certainly keeps me on my toes,” he answers vaguely, throwing Louis a wink behind Jay’s back. Louis actually has to physically stop himself from face-palming. This weekend is going to be torture.

“That sounds like him,” Jay smirks, raising her eyebrows at her eldest son before her gaze drifts back to Harry. “Harry, your mum’s in the kitchen with the girls. We’re sorting through the bouquets.”

“What can we do to help?” he offers immediately because he’s Harry and also probably because he’s trying to butter Jay up before he tells her he deflowered her son and took his marriage virginity.

Jay beams at him as she ushers them both into the kitchen. “Well you can both start by hugging your siblings and mothers. I think that might be a good idea.”

Harry needs no further prompting before racing into his mum’s open arms and Louis feels his heart melt a little just watching him. Fuck, he loves his boy so much. He doesn’t get much more time to dwell on that thought – which is probably a good thing – before he’s rudely interrupted.

“Oi tosser!” Lottie calls, catching his attention. “Gonna say hello to the bride-to-be or what?”

Louis rolls his eyes but can’t help the way his mouth tugs up in a smile at the sight of Lottie and Fizzy sitting at the kitchen table surrounded by flowers. “Come on then,” he sighs exasperatedly -though he feels anything but - grin breaking out when they both rush in for a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

After he’s finally greeted Anne and Gemma and Harry’s said hi to the girls they pull up two extra chairs to the table and get to work after some brief instructions from Lottie.

“So how’s London treating you both?” Anne asks interestedly, delicately snipping the stem on the peony she’s holding.

“Same as always,” Harry replies, carefully lying out his flowers in a row in front of him so he can measure the stems against one another. He looks hopelessly endearing. “Weather’s terrible but the company’s quite nice,” he adds with a winning smile – the bashful tilt that still sits in the corners makes Louis’ knees a little weak.

“Ah yes, how are Liam, Niall and Zayn?” Gemma asks, smirking at Louis and raising her eyebrows defiantly, just daring him to say something.

“Fine,” Louis replies primly, ignoring her little dig. “They’ll get in tomorrow before the rehearsal dinner.”

Conversation carries on after that as Lottie shares her wedding planning horror stories with them and Louis is so fucking happy he and Harry didn’t have to go through any of this. If the look on Harry’s face is anything to go by, he’s pretty happy about it too.

Louis actually doesn’t mind this whole flower arranging business so much - though he’s incredibly relieved they’ve arrived just as most of the hard jobs are over. Putting the right amount of flowers in each bunch and making sure the stems are even isn’t exactly taxing, however actually tying the bouquet together is proving to be a much more difficult task than he anticipated.

He’s trying to do it like Lottie showed him but it’s not working, one always keeps falling out place. He can feel himself getting frustrated and he’s fairly close to turning these flowers into potpourri when Harry’s gentle hand lands over his own. Louis looks up to find Harry dimpling at him.

“Let me,” he murmurs, slipping the bouquet out of Louis’ hand and winding the string around the stems with nimble fingers before passing it back to Louis. He spends the next few minutes guiding Louis through it and explaining just the right way to tie the ribbon.

The result is a slightly crinkled but secure bow and he grins at Harry triumphantly. Harry beams back at him and Louis almost goes to lean in for a victory kiss before he remembers where he is. He jolts back – when did their faces even get so close? – and looks self-consciously at the rest of the table. Who all appear to be staring at them with varying degrees of amusement and suspicion. Great.

Louis clears his throat and Harry returns to his own bouquet but Louis can practically feel his mother biting her tongue.

This may not have been as easy as he’d originally thought.

*

Harry reluctantly leaves with Anne and Gemma after dinner. They get a brief moment of reprieve while Louis helps Harry get his bags from the boot of Louis’ car.

“So that wasn’t so bad,” he mutters, keeping his voice down because you never know where prying ears could be lurking.

“Mm,” Harry hums in agreement. “Except for the flower incident. Sorry babe.”

“My fault as much as yours,” Louis shrugs, shouldering his own bag onto his back to take inside with him. “Gonna miss you tonight, love.”

“First night apart since our-” Harry trails off, not quite brave enough to say the word when they’re still standing in front of Louis’ house, but his smile says it all. Even if there is a disappointed curve to it.

“Meet me for breakfast in the morning, yeah?” Louis requests quietly, risking reaching a hand out to stroke Harry’s arm.

Harry just nods in agreement and murmurs that he’ll text him.

“Harry, darling, are you ready?” Anne asks, travelling down the walkway to her own car.

“Be there in a sec!” Harry calls before lowering his voice as he turns back to Louis. “Call me before you go to sleep, Lou. Love you.”

“I will,” Louis promises. “Love you too, baby.”

With one last wistful smile Harry steps away from him to make his way to his mother’s car.

Louis pretends he doesn’t feel like running after the car and begging Harry to stay. For fuck’s sake he’s only driving one street over, Louis needs to get over himself.

He doesn’t feel quite so pathetic when Harry stays turned around in his seat to watch Louis until the car rounds the corner.

*

After turning his pillow over for approximately the tenth time he reaches out and feels around the bedside table for his phone. When his fingers lock around it he drags it close to his face to check the time. Squinting his eyes at the harsh light, he eventually reads that it’s 3am.

Ugh, he’s been in bed for four fucking hours and he’s still wide awake.

It’s not fair. He’s too cold without Harry and his arms feel empty and he doesn’t care if he’s in a single bed right now, it still feels too big when he’s alone.

After debating it for a few minutes he crawls out of bed, slipping on his Vans and a hoodie before tiptoeing out of his room and down the stairs. Making sure to take his keys and pocketing his phone, he creeps out the front door and makes the short walk to Harry’s house.

For a moment, he considers calling Harry or maybe seeing if the spare key is still under the plant on the porch like it used to be. Ultimately though, he decides to sneak around the side of the house, stopping underneath Harry’s window.

He’s not sure what possesses him to do it but when he sees the stone sitting idly on the grass he can’t help himself from picking it up and tossing it at Harry’s window.

It ricochets with a soft clack and he waits a moment to see if he gets a response. When Harry’s window remains silent as ever he picks up another handful of stones and begins to throw.

It takes about two minutes for Louis to see a light turn on in the room and for Harry to draw back his curtains and poke his head out.

“Lou?” he whisper-yells, face scrunching up in sleepy confusion. “What the bloody hell are you doing?”

“Can’t sleep,” he answers simply, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his hoodie and shrugging his shoulders even as they’re hunched against the slight chill in the air. He doesn’t care if it’s supposedly summer, it’s still bloody freezing.

“And you didn’t think to just ring me?”

That draws a grin from Louis and he waggles his eyebrows. “Come on, H. We never got to do the dumb teenage sneaking around thing when we were kids. ‘M making up for lost time.”

Harry just stares at him for a moment before he breaks into a laugh, shaking his head in exasperation. “Come on then,” he huffs amusedly. “I’ll meet you at the front door.”

Louis feels slightly giddy as he races back around to the front of the house. He’s just skipping up the steps of the porch when the door quietly clicks open and a sleep rumpled Harry appears, leaning against it and rubbing at his eyes.

“Hi, baby,” Louis whispers, closing the last little bit of distance between them to give Harry a kiss.

“Hi, Lou,” Harry mumbles tiredly, hand locking around Louis’ wrist to tug him inside.

They stumble up the stairs as quietly as possible, a difficult feat when Louis is attached to Harry’s back, loath to leave even a little space between them.

Harry doesn’t seem to mind, just keeps his hands settled over Louis’ around his waist to keep them in place.

Harry’s room is exactly how Louis remembers it - though there aren’t any posters on the walls now, instead they’re painted a nice neutral beige colour. Harry’s memory foam mattress is also exactly how Louis remembers and he sinks into it willingly, letting out a contented sigh as he kicks off his shoes.

“You’re just using me for my bed,” Harry grumbles, climbing in next to him and pulling the covers up over them both.

“Obviously,” Louis drawls. “I married you nine months ago in anticipation of our return home just so I could sleep in your childhood bed for one night. You caught me.”

Harry snorts but doesn’t reply, going pliant the moment Louis curves around his back and pulls him close. “Didn’t like sleeping without you,” he mutters a few minutes later, thumb sweeping over the back of Louis’ hand.

“Me either,” Louis replies softly, tucking his face against Harry’s hair so his nose is nestled in the spot just behind Harry’s ear. “I’ll sneak out before your mum wakes up in the morning.”

The last thing he hears is Harry’s garbled “’kay,” before his eyes droop shut and he finds himself drifting off.

Louis doesn’t wake up to the alarm he’d set on his phone when he’d been on his way to Harry’s. He doesn’t even wake up to soft tummy kisses Harry sometimes gives him on Sunday mornings. No, Louis wakes up wrapped around Harry in his childhood bed with Harry’s mother standing over them, arms folded and eyebrows raised.

She clears her throat as soon as she realises Louis’ awake, mouth twitching like she wants to laugh but isn’t gonna give up the Mum act just yet.

Harry seems to wake up the minute she makes a sound – Louis can feel him freeze in his arms.

Satisfied that they’re both conscious, Anne decides to speak. “Morning boys,” she says, sounding far too gleeful and far too awake for whatever hour of the morning it is.

Louis slowly extricates himself from Harry and puts some space between them. Harry, himself, seems to be hoping that if he doesn’t make any sudden movements she won’t notice him.

“Morning, Anne,” he answers obediently, hoping his half-laugh doesn’t sound quite as uneasy as it does in his head.

Judging by the way her grin deepens, it does.

“Louis,” she greets warmly. “What exactly are you doing in my son’s bed?”

Out of the corner of his eye he sees Harry dig his face into his pillow to suppress a groan before he pushes himself up as well.

Louis’ mind goes completely, utterly blank and he starts to talk before the panic can truly set in. “Uh…I was. Um it’s just a bit crowded and crazy at home, you know?” he stutters, feeling himself tense and then relax when Harry puts a hand on his leg under the blanket. “Didn’t want to be in the way so I called Haz and asked if I could stay here instead.”

“We have a guest room you know?” She doesn’t look like she’s buying this for one second, fuck how did they  _already_  fuck up?

“It was super last minute!” Harry jumps in and Louis sends him a silent thank you. “And we were both exhausted after the trip yesterday. Didn’t even think, to be honest.”

Anne just hums in answer, delicately arching her eyebrow before turning on her heel and making her way to the door. “Breakfast is in ten minutes!” she calls over her shoulder and then she disappears from the room.

They’re silent for about five seconds before Harry flops back on the bed and puts a pillow over his face, letting out a pained noise.

“Alright, love,” Louis placates, pulling the pillow away from him. “Let’s not suffocate ourselves just yet.”

“She definitely knows,” Harry pouts, bottom lip jutting out sulkily and eyes all wide and puppy-like and that’s  _so unfair_.

“No she doesn’t,” Louis soothes, running a hand over Harry’s bare arm. “She suspects but she doesn’t know. As long as we keep it that way until after the wedding, we’ll be fine.”

“Lou, we couldn’t even last  _twenty-four hours_ ,” Harry complains. “How are we meant to make it through the next three days?”

“Sheer force of will and blind luck?”

Harry laughs but it turns into a groan halfway through as he rolls over to curl into Louis’ side. “This is a disaster,” he grumbles into Louis’ chest.

“It’s  _okay_ ,” Louis insists, smoothing a hand over Harry’s hair. “Besides, we used to fall asleep in each other’s beds all the time in the flat before we got together.”

Harry pulls back to give him a deadpan look. “Yeah and hindsight taught us that wasn’t exactly platonic behaviour, Louis.”

Louis laughs - can’t really help it - but concedes. “Okay fine, so we were really stupid and that’s very obviously not just a friend thing but come on, if we were always like that around our parents it shouldn’t be any different now.”

Harry mutters something unintelligible that’s probably as close to an agreement as Louis’ gonna get so he taps the back of his head to get his attention. “Come on, I’ve missed your mum’s fry-ups. I want breakfast.”

Harry heaves a long-suffering sigh but drags himself out of the bed nonetheless. “Fine. But you’re fielding all the questions when my mum inevitably tells your mum what she saw this morning.”

“Fine.”

*

Breakfast is actually a nice reprieve. Robin doesn’t let Anne get a word in edgeways, instead bombarding them with questions about London. Louis definitely catches Anne texting under the table though – no doubt his own mum, shit – and when Gemma joins them to find Louis at the table she gets the most terrifyingly devilish grin on her face.

Fuck, he forgot about Gemma.

But again, Robin comes to their rescue, changing the topic to the wedding and keeping the girls busy with listing what they have to do for the day.

Louis doesn’t know what he knows or what he suspects, but the man is a saint. He has to remind Harry to get him a new watch or something when all this is over.

Louis grudgingly leaves after breakfast, slightly terrified of whatever’s waiting for him in his own house but he just squares his shoulders, stuffs his feet back into his trainers and leaves the Styles-Twist residence with his head held high.

…He still feels a little bit like he’s doing the Walk of Shame though.

Which is honestly ridiculous. He just snuck over to his husband’s house to spend the night with him and got caught by his mother-in-law and now, as he senses their neighbours peeking out from behind their curtains to stare at him, he feels like he’s bloody coming home from a one night stand!

The end of this weekend can’t come fast enough.

*

Louis’ own house is thankfully silent when he arrives home; with his mum and Lottie out meeting with the caterer the worst culprits aren’t here to judge him.

Dan only gives him an amused smirk when he sees him before advising him to hurry upstairs while Fizzy is still out the back with the youngest twins.

Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Louis throws him a quick thank you and pegs it up the stairs to the sanctuary of his own room. He breathes a sigh of relief as he closes the door behind him and doesn’t hear the pattering of footsteps in the hallway.

He opts to take a shower to stave off the inevitable interrogation for a little bit longer, quickly taking a peek out his bedroom window to make sure Fizzy and the twins still haven’t come inside.

He spends far too long in the shower - enough time to know that if his mum was home she’d be banging on the door, yelling at him for wasting all the hot water. He spends even more time drying his hair and choosing an outfit but eventually he can no longer stave off the inevitable and trudges back downstairs.

Of course the first thing he sees when he walks into the kitchen is his mum and Lottie standing at the counter going over a checklist. Both their heads snap up as soon as he enters the room and he doesn’t miss the delighted looks on their faces before he goes digging through the fridge in an attempt to hide his face.

“Hey Lou,” Lottie says lightly but it’s all just a ruse - she sounds far too pleased with herself. Doesn’t she have a wedding to plan? “Didn’t see you this morning…”

“You know I got the strangest message from Anne earlier,” his mum cuts in, voice high like it gets when Ernie and Doris lie about brushing their teeth and she decides to indulge them for a minute to lull them into a false sense of security.  She forgets Louis knows all of her tricks. When Louis turns around he can almost  _see_  the smugness rolling off them in waves.

“And?” he asks, figuring feigning disinterest is the only way to play this.

“Apparently you stayed at their house last night?” she asks unassumingly – though it’s absolutely anything but.

“ _In Harry’s bed_ ,” Lottie adds because of course she does.

It takes everything Louis has not to visibly react. “Was just a bit crowded over here, that’s all. Didn’t want to be in the way.” He’s definitely playing the sympathy card and judging by the look on his mum’s face it’s not working.

“Mhm and why were you in Harry’s bed?” Lottie questions, not letting up in the slightest.

“Thought Gemma would be in the spare room,” he shrugs, avoiding her piercing stare.

“Gemma has her own room, Louis,” Lottie counters immediately. Fucking hell, who died and made her the police?

“Yes well we obviously didn’t think of that last night, did we?” he snaps, hoping he doesn’t sound quite so rude that his mum’ll start giving out to him.

Lottie looks like she’s dying to say more but thankfully Dan cuts in – their stepdads are lifesavers, honestly. “Don’t you have a lunch you need to get ready for?” he reminds.

“Oh yes!” Jay says suddenly, swishing around to nod at Dan before facing back to Louis. “We’re meeting with the wedding planner at the venue to have lunch today. It’s just to go over some last minute details before the rehearsal dinner tonight. Anne and Gemma are coming too if you want to join us? I’m sure they’ve wrangled Harry in as well.”

“Of course they’ve wrangled Harry in,” Louis scoffs. “He loves weddings.”

“So you’ll come?” Jay clarifies.

Louis hesitates a moment but ultimately nods, knowing for a fact Harry is probably already in a car on the way there, dutifully listening to Anne talk about place settings.

That’s how he ends up squished in the back of his mum’s car with Fizzy on his right and a bunch of wedding shit on his left. And honestly why is Louis in the middle? He’s the oldest; he should get passenger seat privileges.

When they get to the hotel where the reception is being held Lottie’s fiancé, Dave, is already waiting outside with who Louis presumes is the wedding planner. He spots Anne’s car a few down from theirs as well.

As soon as they’re out of the car Lottie’s running over to greet Dave with a kiss while Jay heads straight for the wedding planner, list already in hand and Fizzy diligently at her side. It’s not until they’re walking through the lobby that Harry sidles up to him, bumping their hips together and offering him a grin. “So did you get stuck in the back seat?”

“Yes,” Louis grouses, folding his arms petulantly even though his mum is paying him no mind.

Harry laughs loudly but slings a casual arm around Louis’ shoulder. Well- it would be casual if it weren’t for the way Louis immediately sinks into it. Like they’ve ever done anything that can be classed as casual touching in the last nine months. Whatever. As far as their families are concerned, it’s casual.

“So how bad was it when you got home?” Harry asks, keeping his voice down so the others don’t overhear.

“Okay,” Louis breathes. “Dan deflected the worst of it, thank god.”

“’m starting to think him and Robin know,” Harry mutters, bright smile instantly slipping back onto his face when their mums look back to make sure they’re still following.

“I think so too,” he agrees. “But I reckon they won’t say anything until we do.”

Harry nods, dropping his arm from around Louis’ shoulders once they enter the hotel restaurant. He pretends it doesn’t make him feel a little put out.

Louis gets seated between Harry and Lottie, unsure yet whether it’s a good thing or not but he’s too engrossed in the menu for the first few minutes to really care.

“So this one,” Lottie is saying, flipping the page and pointing out a chicken dish on Louis’ menu, “is one of the dishes we’ll be having for our main course at the reception. Definitely my favourite.”

Louis hums in acknowledgment and lets the conversation carry on around him as he continues to peruse the lunch menu. It isn’t until he hears Harry let out an excited noise beside him that he checks back into the discussion.

And of course they’re talking about dessert.

Harry just about has a heart attack when he finds out the old bakery he used to work at is the one doing the wedding cake, immediately asking after the old women that work there and offering to pick up the cake himself.

Louis has to hold his menu up to his face to hide his fond smile. (He thinks Lottie might notice anyway.)

The rest of their lunch goes by without incident. Most of the conversation is taken up by going over last minute details and discussions about Lottie and David’s honeymoon – mainly Jay playfully admonishing Lottie for not having packed yet. It isn’t until they’re waiting for their dessert to arrive that everything goes to hell.

“H, did you get a new tattoo?” Gemma asks curiously, eyes trained on where Harry’s left hand is resting on the table, specifically on the anchor.

“Hmm?” Harry hums distractedly before looking down at his wrist. “Oh yeah. Got it a couple of months ago. What d’you think?”

“Aren’t anchors usually meant to have ropes with them?” Gemma questions dubiously.

Uh oh.

“Louis has a rope,” Lottie pipes up suddenly.

Well, fuck.

“What?” Gemma’s gaze immediately snaps to Lottie. Actually, everyone’s gaze does except Harry and Louis who decide to look steadfastly at the table.

“She’s right,” Fizzy cuts in with dawning realisation, blinking owlishly up at him and Louis can  _see_ the cogs turning in her head. “I saw it yesterday when you pushed up your sleeves. It’s on your wrist.”

Oh god. Oh shit, fuck, abort,  _abort mission_ -

“Let me see, Lou,” his mum requests and dammit he can never say no to his mum. It’s his fatal flaw.

“I-“ Louis throws Harry a pleading look but he looks just as shocked – if not more - by what’s happening. Louis’ pretty sure he’s been holding his breath since Lottie first spoke.

“Come on, Louis, show us again,” Lottie needles, expression suddenly a lot more mischievous than it had been a moment ago.

Cringing internally, Louis brings his hand to rest on the table – unfortunately right next to where Harry’s is still sitting – and pulls up the sleeve of his jumper to reveal his rope. In the exact same place as Harry’s anchor. They definitely should’ve come up with a cover story for this one.

It had been so romantic at the time. It had been their six month anniversary and they wanted to commemorate it somehow. They’d both been steadily getting tattoos for years and it just felt right. Splitting the two made sense to them, made it feel more special and connected.

Looks like it’s kind of biting them in the ass now though.

“They kind of…match,” Anne says faintly, voice lilting in confusion.

Harry laughs uneasily and Louis already knows this is going to be a disaster. “Haha, whaaat? What are you-“ he tries and fails to stealthily pull his hand away so the connection doesn’t seem quite so obvious. Instead he just succeeds in looking really bloody guilty. “You know what,” he continues with another forced laugh, obviously changing tactics, “they kind of do…huh, never noticed that before…”

…Well. It could’ve been worse.

Louis has no choice but to agree because he really doesn’t think a friendship tattoo is gonna cut it now.

(Thank god no one knows the Oops and Hi story except them.)

“How could you  _not_  notice?” Gemma demands, her derisive snort very clearly indicating she doesn’t believe them.

“We don’t exactly consult each other when we get tattoos, Gems,” Louis steps in because he can already see Harry floundering. He rolls his eyes for good measure, hoping it comes off unaffected.

“Yeah but whichever one of you got it second  _had_  to notice the other person already had it,” Lottie reasons and Louis really wishes she would keep her logic to herself.

“I-“ Harry breaks off, evidently stumped, and Louis isn’t much better because  _he can’t think of an explanation_. There  _is_  no explanation. Nothing that sounds platonic at least.

He’s mere seconds away from confessing the truth, fuck the consequences, when his phone begins to ring and he jumps in his seat, hand clutching his phone like a lifeline. “Sorry I need to take this!” he rambles, scrambling out of his chair as quickly as possible and not giving anyone a chance to stop him.

It’s not until he’s walking – running - away from the table that he realises the person calling him is Harry.

It makes him stop in his tracks when he sees it. Harry must’ve taken his phone out under the table and called him. He did it to save Louis and get him out of the situation. He let Louis leave while he fields the questions all on his own even though he’s just as unprepared for this.

…He’s getting one million kisses for this.

Louis doesn’t hesitate to end the call and turn straight back around to return to their table. They seem to be sitting in mostly precarious silence now; the delightful shade of pink on Harry’s cheeks the only clue of their conversation that remains. Louis sits back in his seat with a firm smile on his face, surreptitiously reaching out to squeeze Harry’s hand under the table. Harry responds by linking their ankles.

“Everything okay?” Jay asks politely, clearing her throat.

“Yeah, it was just Niall,” Louis answers, waving his free hand dismissively. “Just letting me know the lads are on their way.” He has no idea if they’re on their way; he sincerely hopes they are, to be honest. It’s not like they could make the situation  _worse_.

 _Thankfully_ , conversation moves on again after that with Lottie and Dave getting distracted by discussing the rehearsal dinner with the wedding planner. He doesn’t miss the looks Gemma keeps sending them though and he’s afraid to so much as look in Harry’s direction with everyone suddenly taking such an interest in their behaviour.

They get relieved of duty for the rest of the day at the end of lunch which pretty much has Louis praising every deity he’s ever heard of. He doesn’t think he can take much more suspicious glances. Anne gives Harry her keys once they reach the carpark, telling him she and Gemma are going to stay with the girls and Dave to help out a little while longer.

Harry doesn’t hesitate, quickly grabbing Louis’ wrist and dragging him over to his mum’s car after a hastily waved goodbye.

“That was  _brutal_ ,” Harry exclaims as soon as they’re safely inside the car and out of range of eavesdroppers. He slouches back in his seat, head thumping against the headrest, and closes his eyes as he lets out a haggard sigh.

Again, Louis is reminded of what Harry did for him in the restaurant and he’s suddenly sure that he can’t spend another moment not touching him.

“Harry,” he says, voice strained with the effort of keeping his hands to himself. “Start the car. Please.”

Harry cracks open an eye and looks at him curiously. “Why?”

Louis huffs and gives him an exasperated look. “ _Because_ , Harold, I’d really like to kiss you very much a lot and I can’t do that when our mums and sisters are standing a few feet away.”

Harry stares at him for a moment, mouth forming a tiny ‘o’ shape before he seems to shake himself and hurries to put the key in the ignition.

Louis bites his lip to hide his smile before he remembers he doesn’t have to.

*

Harry drives them to a field. A field.

The one where teenagers go to underage drink, the one where _they_  went to underage drink when Harry was still sixteen and Louis had turned eighteen but didn’t fancy drinking without him.

“Harry…why are we parked at this shitty field?”

“S’where the teenagers go to have snogging sessions, innit?” Harry says, dimples denting his cheeks as he takes in Louis’ expression. “You’re the one who said we missed out on all the stupid teenage stuff.”

Louis looks at him incredulously until what’s happening actually sinks in and then he unbuckles his belt. “Suppose our bedrooms  _are_  off limits,” he comments idly, crawling over the console and into Harry’s lap – which actually proves quite difficult with the steering wheel in the way. “For god’s sake, Haz, move your seat back,” he huffs, holding back a laugh at the way Harry’s eyes widen when he suddenly finds himself with a lapful of Louis. “I’m trying to be seductive here.” 

“Very sexy,” Harry agrees dutifully, fitting one hand to Louis’ hip to hold him in place and reaching down to pull the lever to push the seat back with the other – which doesn’t actually end up going back all that far. “Maybe we should go in the back seat though?” Harry whispers on a laugh,  _just_  as Louis is about to slide their mouths together. He has the worst timing.

Louis glares at him but climbs off his lap nonetheless and into the backseat. Knowing them, Harry would probably accidentally ease off the handbrake and send them hurtling into a tree. And wouldn’t that be a fun way for their parents to find out they’re married?

Harry follows him with a mischievous grin, reversing their previous positions and settling in Louis lap. “Much better,” he declares quietly, darting down to connect their lips.

Louis rolls his eyes but allows himself to be drawn into the kiss, bunching up the fabric of Harry’s bloody obscene sheer shirt between his fingers.

He can feel Harry smirking against his mouth – smug little shit – and no, that won’t do at all. He cranes his head, deepening the kiss right before he swivels his hips  _just so_ ; a little trick that always leaves Harry breathless in a matter of seconds.

Sure enough, Harry breaks the kiss, plastering their foreheads together and panting out a heavy breath before diving back in and tangling his fingers in Louis’ hair. Louis lets Harry move him in whatever direction he pleases, quite happy to content himself with sending his hands travelling up over the expanse of Harry’s back – the kind of feather light touches that always send shivers down Harry’s spine.

Harry lets out a soft whine, shifting restlessly in Louis’ lap. “Missed kissing you,” he murmurs, words slurred as he drags his lips over Louis’ cheek and attaches his mouth to Louis’ jaw.

“S’only been…” Louis pauses, releasing a sharp breath when Harry bites down hard on the underside of his jaw. “Only been a day,” he trails off, arching his neck to give Harry better access and digging his fingers into the soft flesh of Harry’s hips.

“Too long,” Harry complains, moving back up to kiss his lips again, tongue hot and insistent against Louis’.

Louis nods feebly – the best he can manage without disconnecting their mouths – and holds Harry’s hips in place to grind up against him.

He doesn’t know what it is. He doesn’t know why he feels so antsy, it really has only been a day and they still slept in the same bed last night but it’s just- something about not being able to touch Harry even though he’s right there. Having to be around him and not reach out and kiss him like he normally would, it’s making something itch beneath his skin.

He needs to pulls Harry closer, needs to kiss him more thoroughly, needs to dig his fingers in deeper when he clutches Harry’s waist.

“Definitely too long,” he agrees belatedly, the words coming out on an exhale as he snakes a hand into Harry’s hair to give himself better leverage. The way it sends another shiver rippling through Harry, causing him to grind down again in Louis’ lap, definitely doesn’t go unnoticed.

“When we get home,” Harry starts, voice coming out airy and soft around the edges. “We’re not leaving our bed-“ he cuts off with a groan when Louis bucks his hips up and Louis can’t help but feel a little satisfied at Harry seeming to lose his train of thought.

“We’re not leaving our bed…?” he prompts, smirking at the way Harry blinks rapidly before staring intently at Louis’ mouth.

Harry shakes his head, bringing his hands up to cup Louis’ jaw and hold him in place. “We’re not leaving our bed for a week,” he whispers, eyes flickering all over Louis’ face as he presses his thumb against Louis’ bottom lip.

Louis’ lips part of their own accord, throat going dry at the look on Harry’s face. All he can do is nod fervently before dragging Harry back in for another kiss. Harry sinks into it, going pliant in his arms and yes, this is how Louis loves him.

As carefully as he can, he shifts them, pressing Harry down on the backseat and cradling the back of his head so he doesn’t bang it off the door.

Harry smiles up at him, cheeks flushed and dimples on display, as he slides one hand down the back of Louis’ jeans.

Louis sighs happily, lazily connecting their lips again and shifting around until he can comfortably settle a leg between Harry’s. “Please tell me you have lube,” he says, sounding to pretty close to begging but he can’t find it in himself to care. It’s been over twenty-four hours and they’re not gonna have another moment to themselves until Harry sneaks into his hotel room tomorrow night.

Harry huffs a laugh against his mouth. “This is my mum’s car, Louis. I’m hardly stashing lube in the glove compartment.”

“But-“ Louis whines, cut off by the way Harry uses the hand on his ass to pull him down, pressing their crotches together.

Harry leans up, turning Louis’ head with his free hand until his lips are pressed against Louis’ ear. “I could suck you off?” he suggests instead and at any other time the self-satisfied tone would make Louis scoff, right now it just sounds incredibly hot and has Louis dangerously close to whimpering.

He’s just about to answer, is about to promise to return the favour, when Harry’s phone rings.

Harry’s fucking. Phone. Rings.

Harry shifts to slide it out of his pocket but all he achieves is a slow grind against Louis’ crotch that leaves Louis quivering and that’s not fucking  _fair_.

“Just a  _sec_ ,” Harry admonishes, voice giggly, when Louis decides to retaliate by kissing his neck. “Hello?”

Louis’ only a little bit proud of how breathy Harry’s voice sounds when he answers. Through the speaker he hears Niall’s booming reply and relaxes, content to carry on in his ministrations. Nothing Niall hasn’t walked in on before.

“Hey Niall,” Harry replies airily and Louis’ honestly surprised he hasn’t been reprimanded yet for continuing to mark up Harry’s neck.

“Oh you’re on your way?” Harry’s breaths are coming out harsher now, his free hand winding its way into Louis’ hair to keep him in place. Which suits him just fine, honestly. “Great, me and Lou will meet you then.”

“Hmm?” Harry asks dazedly as Louis starts slowly grinding his hips down again, fingers tightening in Louis’ hair. “I’m just-“ He cuts off with a broken sound when Louis bites down hard on the side of his throat, hastily pressing his phone into his shoulder so Niall doesn’t hear.

Louis still catches the, _“are you two fucking shagging right now?”_  being indignantly yelled through the speaker though and he can’t help but muffle a laugh against Harry’s neck. He slips the phone out of Harry’s lax hand and holds it to his ear, biting his lip to control his smirk. “Hey Nialler, we’ll meet you lot in an hour, yeah? Okay, bye.”

He drops the phone on the floor of the backseat once he’s sure he’s ended the call and returns his focus to Harry who’s restlessly dragging his hands up and down Louis’ sides.

“Now,” Louis grins, brushing Harry’s hair back off his forehead and cupping his cheek, thumb sinking into his dimple. “Where were we?”

*

They meet the boys at Harry’s house an hour later, looking only slightly more dishevelled than they did at lunch.

“So how are the  _best friends_?!” Niall yells obnoxiously loudly when he climbs out of Liam’s car, bounding over to hug them before punching both of them on the arm. “That’s for fucking having sex while I was on the phone,” he adds lowly, levelling them both with a glare that doesn’t really look all that menacing.

Liam and Zayn follow at a more sedate pace but the smirks are still evident on both their faces.

“Well, how badly have you fucked up so far?” Zayn asks, already looking about ten seconds away from cracking up.

“It’s fine,” Louis insists, pouting maybe just a little.

“Now say that one more time with conviction,” Liam teases, even as he goes to pull Harry in for a hug.

“It’s really fine,” Harry repeats, absently patting Liam’s back before letting him go.

Niall appraises them for a moment before shaking his head. “You’re lying,” he decides. “What did you do?”

“Nothing!” Louis swears.

Zayn looks between the two of them and his smile grows. “Nah, something happened. What was it?”

Harry looks down at his shoes – which he  _always_  does when he’s guilty of something – and mutters, “We may have forgotten about our tattoos.”

Niall, Liam and Zayn are silent for approximately five seconds before breaking down in fits of laughter.

“How could you  _forget?”_  Niall crows, clutching his stomach as he cackles manically.

“All you’ve bloody done is talk about them for the last three months,” Zayn adds, snickering into his hand and shaking his head.

Liam, at least, has the decency to try and stop laughing but a chuckle still bubbles out of him every few seconds.

Louis huffs, throwing his hands up in exasperation. “So it slipped our minds!”

“Wait,” Zayn says suddenly. “Someone noticed. Who noticed?”

“Gemma and Lottie,” Harry replies, cringing at the memory. “In front of our mums.”

That sets the three of them off all over again and Louis just rolls his eyes, leaving them and their hysterics on the footpath and going into Harry’s house.

Harry follows him immediately, not hesitating to attach himself to Louis’ back and wrap his arms around his middle since Robin is at work and the girls are still out. Louis sinks back in his grasp, mouth lifting up in a smile when Harry smudges a kiss on his cheek. It’s only a few moments later when he hears the front door close and three sets of footsteps follow them into the living room.

“Okay,” Liam announces, clearing his throat. “It’s out of our systems. We’ll stop now.”

Harry snorts like he doesn’t believe them, guiding Louis over to the armchair. He lets his arms fall away long enough to sit down before he’s pulling Louis into his lap; by the time Louis’ found a comfortable position the boys have all dropped down to sit on the sofa.

“So what can we do to help?” Zayn offers benignly and Louis raises his eyebrows.

“You’ll help?” he asks sceptically.

“Oh well you’re definitely idiots for not just telling them the truth from day one,” Niall says lightly. “But yes, we’ll cover your arses this weekend. So what d’you need?”

“Just- maybe help us out if they ask something we can’t explain?” Harry suggests, face scrunching up uncomfortably - no doubt at the thought of all their little mishaps in the last twenty-four hours.

“And like, pinch us or something if we’re looking at each other like we’re in love,” Louis adds because they really don’t know how to tone that down. “Or doing anything extra coupley.”

“…So you want us to convince people you’re not in love?” Liam asks dubiously.

“Not possible,” Niall disagrees immediately, crossing his arms in defiance.

“It’s just for a couple of days, Nialler,” Louis pleads.

“But- but  _just look at you!”_  Niall exclaims, gesturing wildly at Harry and Louis.

Which- yeah okay, so maybe Louis is currently resting his temple against Harry’s and Harry’s arm is wound securely around his waist but no one’s here to  _see them_  like this.

“Well we obviously don’t sit like this in front of our parents,” Harry points out but Louis knows Harry would very happily sit like this in front of their parents if he could.

“We’ll help,” Liam cuts in before Niall can start up another rant. “It’s just the rehearsal dinner tonight and the wedding tomorrow anyway, right? Everyone’s gonna be too hungover at brunch on Sunday to pay attention to you and everyone will be focused on Dave and Lottie tomorrow. Everything’ll be fine.”

“Remember that optimism when you’re trying to explain to Harry’s mum why he has a big, fat love bite on his neck that I’m betting wasn’t there yesterday,” Zayn says cheerfully, clapping Liam on the back and sending Louis and Harry an eyebrow raise that’s entirely too suggestive.

Harry’s hand instantly slaps over his neck, face flushing red. Louis just kisses his cheek and whispers that he looks lovely.

They’re definitely going to need to steal some of Gemma’s concealer later.

*

The rehearsal dinner is at seven and while most of Louis’ family – namely all the girls except Doris – stuff the car full to set up in the hotel room for the next morning Louis stays back at the house with Dan and the youngest twins.

He’s just finishing buttoning up his shirt when Dan knocks on his open door. “I’ve got the twins ready if you’re good to go?”

Louis nods, giving himself one last onceover in the mirror before spinning around to face Dan. “Let me just grab my jacket.” It’s a blazer Harry bought him when he was shopping a few months ago. He insisted it would hug Louis’ frame perfectly. (He was right.)

“So…you and Harry, huh?” Dan asks as they’re making their way downstairs.

Louis splutters, trying to come up with an excuse but Dan only laughs, placing a calming hand on his arm. “It’s alright, Louis,” he assures. “I can tell for whatever reason you’re not ready to tell your mum so I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

Louis nods, can only manage a weak smile as they reach the end of the stairs and he squeaks out an, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Dan rolls his eyes but doesn’t press. He does however, pause on the last step and force Louis to stop with him. “You should know your mum is going to wholeheartedly support you no matter what.”

Louis nods, inexplicably feeling a lump form in his throat. “I know.”

Dan nods once before calling out to the twins and disappearing into the living room to wrangle them out to the car.

When they get to the hotel the function room where the reception is being held tomorrow is already buzzing with people. Dan leaves him at the door, guiding the twins over to Jay who Louis spots talking to his nan. He’ll have to pop over and say hello later.

All of a sudden he feels a body at his back and a whispered, “Hello,” is being breathed against his ear.

Louis smiles – his Pavlovian reaction to Harry – and turns around. “Hi yourself,” he says, resisting the urge to reach out and straighten the lapels of Harry’s jacket.

“You look handsome,” Harry compliments and Louis spots his hands twitching at his sides. Looks like he’s not the only one itching to reach out.

“So do you,” Louis replies, eyes raking over Harry’s frame. His trousers are sinfully tight and his shirt has far too many buttons unbuttoned – not that Louis is complaining. He’s topped the look off with what Louis affectionately refers to as his prince jacket: a black military style jacket with gold detailing around the sides and hem. In short, he looks fucking delectable.

Harry beams like he knows exactly what Louis’ thinking before he winks and mouths, “ _Later_ ,” just as they’re joined by Gemma.

“Boys,” she greets magnanimously but she has a glass of champagne for Louis so she can stay.

“How come  _you_  didn’t bring me champagne?” he demands of Harry and Gemma snorts into her glass.

Harry already looks defeated – he never won a single battle when Louis and Gemma teamed up when they were younger. He opens his mouth, ready to defend himself before seemingly giving up and sighing. “Maybe I was so excited to see you I forgot?” he offers hopefully and Gemma’s snort becomes a full-on laugh.

“You two have gotten weirder since moving to London,” she observes, taking another swig of her drink.

“Have not,” Harry insists, affronted, and there’s something so incredibly amusing about watching him revert to his six-year-old self whenever he’s around his big sister.

Gemma, proving she’s not much better, opts for sticking her tongue out at him.

Louis is just considering the merits of involving himself in this particular sibling brawl when the wedding planner – he thinks her name is Carol? – calls everyone to attention and requests they take their seats.

“Come on, Lou,” Harry says suddenly, catching his elbow. “I’m sitting next to you.”

“Oddly presumptuous of you, Harold,” Louis remarks even as he slips his arm out of Harry’s grasp and settles his hand on the small of Harry’s back to guide him.

Harry only looks back at him and rolls his eyes exaggeratedly. “The place cards  _say so_ ,” he drawls but he’s got his fond, “my husband is so silly” look on his face. Louis fucking loves that look.

“Well then lead the way, darling,” Louis says grandly.

Harry rolls his eyes again but his smile is so big he’s quite possibly glowing.

They’re definitely gonna play footsie when they sit down.

*

On the one hand, tonight is a rehearsal for Dave and Lottie. A chance to work out all the little problems and make sure the ceremony and reception run smoothly tomorrow.

On the other hand, tonight is a rehearsal for Harry and Louis. Given the only people here are Louis’ immediate family, Harry’s immediate family, Dave’s immediate family and a few of their friends; it’s the perfect way to test the waters. To get their stories straight before tomorrow when literally everyone they know will be there to engage them in countless conversations about what they’re doing with their lives.

It’s going mostly okay so far.

Louis’ family is far too preoccupied with Lottie, as is Dave’s family with him. It’s generally the family friends they need to watch out for.

The dinner itself is fine – Louis is sitting between Phoebe and Harry and his thirteen year old sister really doesn’t care how he and Harry behave around each other. The lads are sitting one table over, alternating between giving them suggestive looks and laughing unashamedly every time they lock eyes. Useless, the lot of them.

It isn’t until they’re in the middle of their main course that anyone even engages Harry or Louis in conversation - they’d been quite content so far just talking between themselves or listening to Daisy and Phoebe talk about how Lou plans to style their hair tomorrow. Louis hardly bats an eyelid when Harry takes the carrots from his own plate and deposits them onto Louis’ before stealing one of Louis’ potatoes. Consummate food stealer, Harry is. Louis doesn’t mind sharing though.

“Ugh look at them,” Gemma grumbles from Harry’s other side, throwing a look at Anne. “Like a proper married couple.”

Louis chokes on the glass of wine he’d been in the middle of drinking.

“What?” Harry splutters, fork clattering onto his plate. The hand that absentmindedly comes up to pat Louis’ back while he’s coughing probably doesn’t help their case.

“You’re so  _domesticated_ ,” she grouses, gesturing between them with her fork. Louis can only watch in horror as Anne hides her smile behind her glass of wine. “It’s disgusting.”

“No we’re not,” Louis protests hastily, throat still feeling raw. He clears it as best he can and quickly throws a panicked glance around the room in a vain attempt to seek help.

“It’s not a  _bad_  thing,” Anne reassures, an amused expression appearing on her face. “You’re just very… _settled_  with each other. It’s natural when you’ve been friends so long.”

Louis glances at Harry out of the corner of his eye and watches his mouth work as he tries to come up with a response.

“We-“ Louis starts and then stops. He has no idea how he’s meant to finish that sentence. “We’re just used to each other, I suppose.”

Harry’s gaze flickers to him at that and he smiles softly, making Louis’ own lips quirk up in answer as he gently nudges his knee against Harry’s under the table.

“Used to each other, acting like you’ve been married for twenty years, what’s the difference really?” Gemma teases but there’s something in her expression that wasn’t there before, an affectionate tilt to her smile.

Harry laughs - it only sounds a little bit forced – and looks back to his sister. “Not my fault he can’t take care of himself, he needs me.”

“Excuse me, Harold,” Louis exclaims, affronted. “If anyone’s taking care of anyone, it’s me looking after you.”

Harry looks back to him with a cheeky grin, eyes lighting up at the scowl on Louis’ face. “I’m sorry, who cooks dinner?”

“Well, you but-“

“And who does the washing?”

“Okay, also you but-“

“And who cleans the flat?”

“Y _ou_ ,” Louis huffs, throwing his hands up in exasperation. “But I do important things! I make us tea and I make sure to record your shows for you if you’re coming home late and I always buy more milk when we run out.”

Somewhere around the middle of Louis’ rant Harry’s face changes, morphing into something fond and tender and it’s probably a good thing he’s currently facing Louis and not his mum and sister. “You do lots of important things, babe,” Harry says placatingly before he freezes, eyes widening and mouth agape at the slip-up.

Louis, for his part, is just trying not to react too visibly.

And where the fuck are Niall, Zayn and Liam? Aren’t they meant to help them with situations like this?!

A look at Anne and Gemma tells Louis all he needs to know about whether or not they heard Harry’s little term of endearment – their smiles are positively beaming.

“I think I need to go to the bathroom,” Harry says suddenly, setting his napkin next to his plate and excusing himself. Once he’s gone, the sheer force of Anne and Gemma’s attention is focused on Louis and that’s just not something he’s equipped to deal with without vodka.

He waits as long as he possibly can before also excusing himself to the rest room, ignoring the two sets of eyes boring into his back as he darts away from the table.

When he pushes the door to the bathroom open he sees Harry standing with his hands braced on the countertop, staring blankly at the mirror.

“Having an existential crisis, love?” Louis asks lightly, letting the door close behind him as he makes his way over to the sink. Harry’s reflection smiles back at him when Louis places a hand on his back.

“Just a little bit,” Harry replies weakly, the laugh he lets out sounding slightly hysterical.

Louis chuckles, dropping his chin onto Harry’s shoulder as the other boy straightens up. “Two more days,” he murmurs like a promise.

Harry nods at him in the mirror before craning his neck to kiss Louis’ hair. “Do you have to stay home tonight?”

Louis sighs, shrugging slightly, “Probably shouldn’t leave Dan to deal with the twins alone. All the girls are staying here tonight.”

“Okay,” Harry says despondently, sagging slightly when Louis wraps his arms around his middle.

“We could say we’re out with the lads and sneak off for a while?” Louis suggests, waggling his eyebrows when Harry meets his gaze in the mirror.

Harry just huffs a laugh, turning around In Louis’ arms and leaning back against the sink. “I dunno,” he drawls, dragging out the “o”. “We had some pretty close calls today, should we risk it?”

“That depends,” Louis answers idly, resisting the urge to just fall forward and kiss Harry senseless when he draws his arms up around Louis’ shoulder, fingers twirling in the hair at the nape of his neck. “Think you can last eight hours without me?”

“Probably not,” Harry laughs, about to say something else when someone suddenly bursts through the door.

They jump apart instantly but relax when they see it’s only Niall. “Jesus christ, Horan,” Louis huffs, clutching his chest and reminding himself to take a deep breath. Once he feels sufficiently calmed down he steps back into Harry’s space.

Niall ignores their panicked noises completely, blustering into the bathroom and letting the door swing shut behind them. “There you two are!” he exclaims, rolling his eyes so hard Louis wouldn’t be surprised if they got stuck like that. “Do you know how long you’ve been in here?! No wonder you needed our fucking help, half the room probably thinks you’re shagging in here right now!”

“Not true!” Harry argues, crossing his arms defiantly but his pout is so terribly adorable Louis just wants to kiss his cheek.

“Haz, yours and Tommo’s family make up half the room right now and they all suspect so yes, very true,” he scoffs.

Harry has the decency to look sheepish at that and Louis himself can’t help looking down, feeling a bit cowed.

“For god’s sake, will you detach from each other for five minutes please?” Niall pleads. “You’re the ones that came up with this stupid idea in the first place,” he reminds, raising his eyebrows at both of them like he’s daring them to disagree. But when neither of them say anything a smile actually appears on his face. “Look, why don’t we go for a pint, yeah? Just the five of us, away from the prying eyes and you can hold hands all you want.”

Louis isn’t gonna lie, the thought of alone time with Harry – real alone time, not the constant crushing fear of someone walking in on them kind of alone time – sounds incredibly appealing, especially with the protective bubble of the lads with them. It’s been a day and a half and Louis is already drained from trying to stop himself from reaching out for Harry at any given moment.

A drink with the boys to regroup before tomorrow might be just what they need.

The way Harry’s eyes light up at the suggestion says he’s probably thinking the same thing.

“Let’s go, Nialler,” Louis says decisively. “You get Payno and Zayn. We’ll say goodbye to our mums.”

Niall mock salutes him before breaking out into a grin and dashing out the bathroom door. As soon as he’s gone Louis spins on his heel to face Harry again, holding his hand out, palm up. Harry takes it happily, his fingers tightening around Louis’ before they loosen again. “You wanna slip out first and I’ll follow?” he suggests bashfully, dimple sinking into his cheek when Louis laughs.

Louis kisses his cheek and steps away, pausing at the door before he heads back out. “Meet you at the car, love.”

*

By the time they all make it outside Niall already has the taxi waiting and is camped out in the passenger seat. Harry and Louis direct the taxi driver to the pub they usually frequent whenever they come home for a visit and don’t let go of each other’s hands for the entire drive over.

Niall bounds up to the bar as soon as they’re through the door, announcing that he’s getting the first round.

“We’re only having one bloody round,” Louis mutters darkly as Zayn guides them to an empty table in the corner. “I have to be up at arse o’clock in the morning tomorrow.”

Harry just shoots him a grin and pats his shoulder consolingly before tucking Louis under his arm and ushering him into the booth. Louis decides to stay under Harry’s arm for a while because Harry’s warm and his shoulder’s comfy and in the perfect position to rest his head against and Louis’ just really fucking missed his boy, okay?

It honestly hasn’t even been that bad. They’ve probably spent longer apart when they’re in London and their work schedules don’t link up but maybe it’s the wedding fever or something because Louis literally cannot cope with Harry being more than a few inches away from him right now.

Harry, for his part, kisses the top of Louis’ head when he leans against him and settles for picking up his pint with his free hand.

It takes Louis a few minutes to notice Zayn watching them; too busy letting the tension drain out of his body the longer Harry holds him close. When Louis finally does look up and meet his friend’s eyes from across the table he sees an inscrutable expression on his face.

“What?” Louis asks, drawing Harry and Niall out of the conversation they’d been having and making Liam look up.

Zayn seems to steel himself for a moment, like he’s debating whether he should say whatever he wants to say, before he begins to talk. “Are you sure you’re doing the right thing?”

“What d’you mean?”

“Well, it’s just- keeping this a secret seems to be kind of taking a toll on you,” Zayn continues carefully and Louis feels Harry stiffen next to him.

“I mean, of course we don’t want to lie,” Louis answers after a beat. “But it’s kind of bad timing, don’t you think?”

“Come on, Lou,” Liam cuts in beseechingly. “Do you really think your families would be that angry? Like, yeah they’ll be pissed and you’ll both probably get a right bollocking for keeping it a secret for so long but then they’ll just say they love you and demand to see the pictures.”

“We can’t just-“

“You  _can_ ,” Niall insists. “And I get why you’re nervous and I get that you don’t want to take away from Lottie’s big day but you’re seriously underestimating how much your families love you.”

No one says anything for a moment until Harry clears his throat. “Let’s not talk about it tonight, yeah? We can figure it out tomorrow.”

The boys don’t disagree but they don’t exactly look happy about it either. When conversation picks back up around them again Louis curls his hand into a fist and gently presses his thumb into Harry’s thigh.

Harry’s only response is to let his arm slip from Louis’ shoulder to his waist and press his thumb against Louis’ hip.

“ _Thank you_ ,” Louis mouths when they make eye contact.

Harry just gives him a smile and a “what can you do?” sort of shrug. Louis definitely doesn’t deserve him. Any other husband would’ve probably left him by now for making them carry on with such a ridiculous scheme. But here Harry is, defending him, helping him, protecting him. He’s been nothing short of perfect since they arrived.

Seemingly sensing that Louis is still staring at him Harry meets his gaze again, eyebrow lifting slightly in question. Louis replies by leaning in and brushing their lips together, mumbling, “I love you,” into Harry’s mouth.

Harry’s frowning a bit when he pulls away but he still darts in to peck Louis’ lips again and say, “I love you,” back.

“Alright lovebirds, get a room,” Niall complains loudly from his spot on the other side of Harry, throwing a beer mat at them.

Louis fires it back at him with perfect aim and the tension breaks as they all start laughing like a bunch of schoolkids.

With the mood considerably lighter the night passes much more pleasantly. They only have two drinks each – mostly because Louis threatens to dismember anyone that shows up to his sister’s wedding hungover. But with the champagne from the rehearsal dinner still swirling around in their systems Harry is just on the right side of tipsy which means he’s just on the right side of  _clingy_  which is exactly how Louis loves him.

By the time they’re walking home – after saying goodbye to Liam, Niall and Zayn outside the pub since the lucky fuckers get to stay in the hotel tonight while Harry and Louis both stay at home – Harry’s hanging off him. Sleepily wrapping himself around Louis like a koala.

“Are you sure you can’t stay at mine?” Harry whines, nuzzling Louis’ neck and making the art of walking extraordinarily difficult.

“I’m sure, babe,” Louis sighs, unable to help the little bit of disappointment that creeps into his voice. “I need to help Dan get the twins ready in the morning.  _And_  bring whatever the girls inevitably forgot to the hotel for them.”

Harry sighs long-sufferingly but doesn’t protest, allowing Louis to guide him down the silent street. “Don’t like it when you’re not there,” he mumbles and it takes everything Louis has not to completely bypass Harry’s house and bring him back to his own.

“Yeah but you’re gonna sneak into my hotel room tomorrow night, right?” he prompts, forcing a lighter tone. It has the desired effect when Harry laughs and pulls away to look at him properly.

They’re standing in Harry’s front garden now and it feels inexplicably like the end of a first date.

“Well, are you gonna walk me to my door?” Harry drawls, proving once again that they spend too much time together and their telepathy has reached creepy heights.

Still, Louis obliges and begins the walk up the path, swinging their joined hands between them. Once they reach the porch Louis turns to him again, biting back a grin as he takes a step closer. “So, do you kiss on the first date, Harry Styles?”

“I married you on our first date,” Harry reminds, rolling his eyes exaggeratedly but the affection is pouring off him.

“Mm, that was fun,” Louis hums, breaking into a giggle when Harry huffs and uses their still joined hands to yank Louis forward and into his arms.

“Shut up and kiss me, you fool.”

Louis groans – that was Harry’s fucking go-to line when they were teenagers and he had a crush on someone, Louis’ in love with a fucking idiot – but allows himself to be pulled into the kiss, arms sliding easily around Harry’s neck. He gives Harry the kind of first kiss he probably should’ve given him all those years ago when they were teenagers had he been smart enough to ask Harry on a date back then.

Kissing Harry is never boring and definitely up there as one of Louis’ favourite things to do but there’s something about this kiss. Something sweet and innocent about it, like they’re really giving their teenage years a do-over and starting from scratch. He has butterflies in his tummy and he feels breathless even though it’s probably one of the most tame kisses they’ve shared in a long time. And it’s just- it makes him feel giddy, makes him feel like he’s falling in love with Harry all over again.

They eventually pull away because they have to, foreheads tilting together as they take a minute to get their breath back.

“Wow,” Harry exhales, sounding slightly awed and Louis can’t help but laugh, pressing forward to steal another kiss.

“Am I a good first date or what?” he teases, eyes crinkling when he feels Harry laugh against him.

“The best,” Harry still swears solemnly even if he’s fighting back a smile the entire time. “Call me when you get home?” he requests. “Wanna talk to you while I fall asleep.”

“Promise, love,” Louis whispers, leaning in to kiss Harry’s cheek once more before taking a step back.

Harry’s eyes are sparkling in the porch light and his smile is positively dazzling and Louis is sure he’s the luckiest man in the world.

“Night, Haz,” he calls, starting to walk backwards down the steps because he can’t quite convince himself to turn away yet.

“Night Lou,” Harry smiles serenely, leaning against his front door with his hand poised on the handle.

Louis doesn’t walk away until he’s inside with the door closed behind him.

*

He keeps good on his promise and calls Harry’s number as soon as he’s tucked up in bed.

“Hi boo.” Harry’s voice is soft and tinny through the receiver and fuck, he sounds like home.

“Hi baby,” Louis replies affectionately, feeling the corners of his lips tug up before he can even think about stopping himself. “Wanna talk or wanna sleep?”

“Sleep, I think,” Harry murmurs tiredly. He always was a sleepy drunk. “Can you just talk to me for a while though? Wanna listen to your voice.”

Louis’ smile grows as he whispers, “Okay.” He’s not sure how long he talks for, mostly just mumbling nonsensical things while Harry hums along but it’s nice. If he closes his eyes he can pretend Harry’s in bed with him. Just one night. It’s just one night.

He doesn’t know how much time passes before he finally hears Harry’s breathing even out on the other end of the line.

If he decides to let the sound lull him to sleep rather than hanging up the phone like he should, well, no one but Harry has to know.

*

The morning is absolute chaos.

Rather than being woken by his alarm, he’s woken up by a phone call from his mother an hour  _before_  his alarm is even meant to go off. In the following two hours he receives a total of seven calls from his mum, Fizzy and the twins respectively – Lottie must be freaking out too much to call – and that’s all before he even finishes his breakfast.

After that it’s a flurry of showering, helping Dan get the twins dressed, fielding  _even more_  phone calls and trying to get himself ready.

By the time he manages to put on his suit and make his hair presentable it’s time to leave. Throwing his overnight bag in the boot, he rounds the car again to help Dan strap the twins in before climbing into the passenger seat.

“You ready?” Dan asks conversationally as he pulls out of their street.

“To see my baby sister get married? Do you think it’d be appropriate to threaten Dave on his wedding day?”

Dan huffs a laugh, shaking his head. “You can try if you feel like having Lottie cut your bollocks off.”

“She’d do it too,” Louis grumbles, ignoring the smirk Dan throws him.

“I’m really happy for her though,” he admits a moment later. “She deserves this.”

“Yeah she does,” Dan agrees, a smile breaking out across his face. “Your wedding day’s the happiest day of your life, innit?”

Louis stares down at his hands, at his bare ring finger, and thinks about their rings tucked away safely on Harry’s necklace. Feeling his heart beat a little bit faster in his chest, he nods. “Apparently so,” he replies softly.

Dan doesn’t say anything else but Louis thinks he catches him watching him out of the corner of his eye. The rest of the journey is spent mostly in silence with the exception of attempting to stop the twins from fussing and replying to the odd text from Harry.

From Harry:  _Where’s my suit selfies????? You promised :(((((_

To Harry:  _Harold, we will literally see each other in ten minutes_

From Harry:  _Fine :/// …so scale of 1-10, how handsome do u look?_

To Harry:  _10 obviously, gotta live up to my husband, don’t I?_

From Harry:  _Flattery will get you nowhere, Lewis_

To Harry:  _Quite sure we both know that’s not true ;)_

From Harry: _How hard is it gonna be to sneak a kiss once we’re at the ceremony???_

To Harry: _We’ll scope out the area when we get there and make a plan ;)_

From Harry:  _It’s not a spy mission, Lou! …See you soon <3_

To Harry:  _See you soon, love :*_

Louis pockets his phone just as they pull up to the church. They’re some of the first to arrive – as they should be, Louis’ mum would probably skin them alive if they weren’t – so there aren’t too many people milling around just yet.

Louis offers to take the twins off Dan’s hands so he can check in with the wedding planner and Dave to make sure everything is going according to plan. The bridal party shouldn’t be here for another twenty minutes or so and Louis knows if  _he’s_  got multiple texts off his mother, Dan probably has double that.

With one twin holding a hand each, Louis begins to make his way to the front of the church where a few of the guests are already congregating in small groups. He’s greeted with numerous kind smiles as he passes relatives and a nod or a wave from whatever friends of Lottie and Dave have already arrived.

He still can’t help releasing a sigh of relief when he sees Niall, Liam and Zayn chatting together off to the side. Guiding the twins over, he comes to a stop next to them, making sure to keep a hand on both Ernie and Doris’ shoulders to hold them in place. “Lads,” he greets. “Any hangovers?”

“Please, Tommo,” Niall scoffs, patting his stomach heartily. “Got a liver of steel, me.”

Louis just rolls his eyes and directs his attention to the other two.

“All good, promise,” Zayn swears, Liam nodding along emphatically. Nice to know they took his threat of dismemberment seriously.

“Where’s Harry?” Liam asks, eyes scanning the carpark behind Louis.

“On his way,” Louis shrugs. “Should be here in a few minutes.”

No sooner are the words out of his mouth when Anne’s car pulls into the lot. Anne and Robin step out of the car first, waving at the boys as they make their way to where Louis’ grandad is chatting with Dan’s sister.

Harry and Gemma follow, Gemma throwing a quick nod in their direction before she hurries to greet Lou and Lux. Harry pauses to smile at Lou and pull a funny face at Lux but immediately bounds over to Louis and the boys afterwards.

“Boys,” Harry grins, hip-checking Louis before bending down to ruffle Ernie’s hair and compliment Doris’ dress. She instantly latches onto him, making Harry laugh delightedly and sweep her into his arms. Louis doesn’t have butterflies in his tummy,  _he doesn’t_.

“Ready to watch your sister-in-law get hitched, Haz?” Niall asks, eyebrows waggling ridiculously.

Harry only beams though, nodding his head enthusiastically. “She’s gonna have the best day,” he says, voice adopting dreamy-like quality – he’s practically swooning.

“Well, you would know,” Zayn remarks, smirking when Louis glares at him. They’re never going to be allowed to forget it.

“We already  _said_  we’re sorry we didn’t invite-“

Zayn just laughs, waving a hand to dismiss him. “I’m  _joking,_ chill out, Lou.”

“Besides,” Liam adds casually. “Your parents are gonna force you to have another ceremony and we’ll get invited that one so we’re not worried.”

Louis’ eyebrows shoot up in disbelief and Harry snorts, adjusting Doris on his hip. “Oh we are, are we?”

Niall circles around the group, throwing his arms over Harry and Louis’ shoulders. “Oh lads,” he laments dramatically. “So young, so naïve. You have no idea what’s coming, do you?”

“What d’you mean?” Louis demands, sparing a glance at Ernie who already seems to be fussing in his little suit.

“You think you can just tell your parents, put up with the cold shoulder for a while, and that’ll be it?” Zayn asks disbelievingly.

“Mate, come on,” Liam reasons, expression definitely bordering on incredulous.

Louis looks between the three of them before locking eyes with Harry, who seems just as puzzled as him, and gives up with a groan. “Can we discuss this later? We have a wedding to attend.”

Thankfully, when he checks his watch they  _do_  actually have to head inside – the ceremony’s meant to be starting in about fifteen minutes and he still needs to get the twins back to Dan and Dave; Doris is the flower girl and Ernie is the ring bearer - very important jobs.

“Whatever you say, Tommo,” Niall responds blithely, clapping both him and Harry on the back before letting go. As a group they make their way into the church, with the lads pausing inside the door to talk to the girl directing people to their seats

“Haz, help me find Dan?” Louis requests, glancing back at Harry who’s in the middle of fixing the bow in Doris’ hair.

“’Course, babe,” Harry replies, low enough that probably only Liam, Niall and Zayn can hear.

They find Dan at the end of the aisle, talking quietly to the priest and the best man. “Presenting a ring bearer and a flower girl, reporting for duty,” Louis announces, setting Ernest on his feet while Harry puts Doris down next to him.

“Aw so nice of you and Harry to volunteer, Louis,” Dan smirks, catching both twins by the hand so they don’t run off.

“Yeah, yeah,” Louis retorts sarcastically – he still has to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from smiling at Harry’s little giggle. “We’re gonna sit down, let us know if you need anything before mum and the girls arrive, yeah?”

“Will do, thanks Louis!”

Louis just nods, hand finding the small of Harry’s back to lead him away. He immediately guides them to the first pew but Harry hesitates, causing him to pause. “What’s wrong?”

“The first row is for you and your family,” Harry explains, chewing his lip anxiously.

Louis rolls his eyes exasperatedly – this boy, honestly – and tugs on Harry’s sleeve to get him to move. “You  _are_  family, Haz.”

“Yeah, but  _they_  don’t know that.”

With a quick glance around the room to make sure no one’s watching them, Louis steps forward and into Harry’s space. “Love,” he murmurs, voice hushed. “Wedding certificate or not, you are and always have been a part of my family. Lottie would be offended if you _didn’t_  sit with us.”

Harry gets his bashful smile on his face - the one Louis always loves to chase away with kisses until his dimples flash - and his cheeks pinken just a bit but he nods, allowing Louis to pull him over to their seats.

Once they’re seated Harry nudges him, voice about twelve octaves too low as he mutters, “Did I mention how gorgeous you look?”

“Harold, we are in a  _church_ ,” Louis admonishes, exaggeratedly placing a hand over his heart and fixing Harry with a scandalised expression.

Harry just elbows him, cheeks turning pinker as he mumbles for Louis to shut up.

“Just teasing, love,” Louis soothes, bumping Harry’s shoulder with his own to make him look up. “You look beautiful.”

It makes Harry’s entire expression soften and there’s a moment where he sways like he’s considering leaning in for a kiss before he remembers he’s not supposed to and puts some distance between them with a helpless smile. Louis just settles for pressing his thumb into Harry’s thigh like he did the night before. The blinding grin it elicits is enough to settle him again.

The church fills up within minutes and before Louis knows it, Dan and his mum are taking their seats next to himself and Harry – while Anne, Robin and Gemma sit behind them with the rest of Louis’ family and the lads sit behind  _them_  – and then Daisy and Phoebe are leading Ernie and Doris up the aisle.

Louis will admit to feeling a little choked up at the sight of his baby sisters looking all grown up in their bridesmaid dresses. Fizzy follows down the aisle next, looking elegant as ever in her dress before taking her spot next to the twins on the altar. When Lottie comes through the doors at the end of the aisle Louis’ eyes instantly sting with tears and he hears Harry let out a quiet gasp next to him.

She looks stunning, with her curls cascading down her shoulders under her veil and a blinding smile on her face. Louis is so happy for her.

The ceremony goes off without a hitch with one too many guests – himself included – shedding a few tears. Harry’s a mess beside him, dabbing at his eyes with his fingers until Louis offers him the tissue he’d been using to wipe his own. Harry just laughs under his breath and accepts it with a mouthed, “ _Thank you_.”

And there’s a moment – just a little moment – where Louis feels a pang of something akin to jealousy. He doesn’t regret how he and Harry got married. It’ll always be the most beautiful, perfect day of his life but there’s a part of him that wishes they’d had this. Wishes he could’ve stood up in front of everyone he cared most about in the world and told them all how much he’s in love with his boy. Wishes they could’ve kissed while everyone cheered, and taken pictures with all their friends and family, and had their first dance as a married couple.

He doesn’t regret what they did or how they did it, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t wish he couldn’t have given Harry a special day like this too.

He doesn’t dwell on it for too long because Lottie and Dave are saying their vows and Harry’s thumb is suddenly resting against his knee and Louis’ throat feels tight all over again.

By the time the ceremony ends Louis feels sufficiently emotionally drained but also just really, really happy. Looking over at his mum, he finds her laughing thickly as she checks her makeup in her compact mirror.

“Alright mum?” Louis checks, ignoring the way his own voice sounds a little rough.

“Mm,” she hums, laughing again before snapping her mirror shut. “Consider this a preview of what I’m gonna be like at your wedding, Lou.”

Guilt sits heavily in Louis’ stomach as he feels his reply die in his throat. Harry’s gentle hand is instantly settling on the small of his back, subtly rubbing small soothing circles through the fabric of his jacket to stop Louis from tensing up.

He’s luckily saved from having to say anything at all when Doris starts tugging on his mum’s dress and asking to go to the bathroom.

“Let’s go outside, Lou,” Harry murmurs as soon as Jay’s distracted, taking his hand off Louis’ back and pushing himself up from his seat. He flashes a smile at Anne, Robin and Gemma behind them before nodding to the boys, signalling to them where they’re headed.

Harry doesn’t allow them to get waylaid by any guests, deftly guiding them through the crowds until they’re out in the fresh air again. Louis feels a little bad about not hugging Lottie just yet but he thinks he needs some air before he can face that again.

“Okay?” Harry asks quietly once they’re around the corner of the church, away from the crowds spilling out through the main doors.

Louis nods, closing his eyes as he leans back against the wall. “Just a lot, y’know?” he mumbles, rubbing at his eyes.

Harry’s hands catch around his wrists, pulling them away from his face so he can press his forehead to Louis’. “Breathe, Lou.”

Louis nods again, letting out a shuddery exhale as he feels Harry’s hands slip away from his wrists and fit to his hips.

“We’ll tell them soon and everything will be okay,” Harry promises, thumbs drawing patterns on his hips like he did in the church. “Just focus on being happy for Lottie today, yeah? That’s all that matters.”

“Yeah,” Louis replies weakly, bringing his arms up around Harry to pull him into a crushing hug. What would he do without him? “Thank you,” he adds. “For this. For everything.”

“For better or worse, right?” Harry responds with a crooked smile, kissing Louis’ cheek before letting him go. “Come on, let’s go back around the front. You need to hug your sister and I need to hug my sister-in-law.”

Louis finds himself grinning at the thought. He likes the sound of that.

*

After the photographer takes approximately ten million pictures of the wedding party and ten million more pictures of both Lottie and Dave with their families, the pair disappear into a car with the photographer to take their solo shots.

Most of the guests have left by then, already making their way to the hotel where the wedding reception is being held, leaving behind Louis and his immediate family. Harry had wanted to stay and wait for him but neither of them could come up with a justifiable reason for why he would need to. Instead he grudgingly got in the car with Gemma and his parents, promising Louis he’d see him later.

It means Louis is left to squish into Dan’s people carrier with his mum, his sisters and Ernie to make his way to the hotel.

“The ceremony was so beautiful, wasn’t it?” Louis’ mum is gushing in the front seat, Dan making a noise of agreement as he pulls out of the carpark.

“Oh mum, don’t,” Fizzy begs from where she’s sandwiched between Louis and Daisy. “I don’t need to start crying again.”

“Wouldn’t want to ruin your makeup, Fizz,” Louis teases which he should know by now is the wrong decision since he’s always terribly outnumbered when it comes to the women in his life.

“Don’t think I didn’t see you shedding a few tears too, Lou,” his mum remarks, craning her neck to meet Louis’ gaze with a pointed look.

“He cried for the whole thing,” Fizzy scoffs next to him, sticking her tongue out when he glares at her.

“So did Harry,” Phoebe suddenly pipes up from where she’s sitting behind Louis. “I saw him.”

“Oh bless him,” Jay coos tenderly – she always did have a soft spot for Harry; Harry always rolls his eyes when Louis insists she prefers him.

“He looked very handsome today,” his mum continues, meeting Louis’ gaze evenly in her mirror.

“He always looks handsome,” Louis mutters, idly playing with his phone in his hand before he realises what he just said. When he looks up  _everyone_  is staring at him – he can’t see Ernie and Doris right now but they probably are too.

“Like objectively,” he adds lamely.

His mum just seems to hide her smile behind her hand and looks away.

Louis doesn’t open his mouth once for the rest of the drive.

*

His mum and Dan are surrounded by their relatives as soon as they arrive while Daisy and Phoebe take charge of watching the younger twins and Fizzy disappears to find Gemma and Lou presumably. It means Louis can slink away and find Harry before he inevitably gets hounded by his extended family.

The guests aren’t in the formal ballroom yet – they have to wait for Lottie and Dave’s arrival – so everyone is clustered together in the lounge rooms when Louis arrives inside. He spots Harry leaning against the wall talking to Louis’ nan, which- of course he is.

Well, it’s not exactly how he’d intended on greeting Harry but this works too.

Louis weaves through the guests milling about with glasses of wine until he arrives at his nan’s side, carefully fitting an arm around her waist to draw her attention. “Hello gorgeous!” he exclaims, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

“Louis,” she replies warmly, placing a hand on his chest in a way that always makes him feel like he’s seven years old again. “I was just talking to the lovely Harry, here,” she continues, motioning to Harry in front of her.

When Louis looks up to meet Harry’s gaze the other boy’s face is lit up with a beaming smile.

“I was just telling him how it’s been so long since you boys came to visit me,” she adds none too subtly – Jay definitely got her tact from her mother.

“Come on, nan,” Louis pleads, using his most charming smile – the one that always got him an extra biscuit when he was younger. “You know how busy we are in London, can’t be running down here every weekend.”

“Well, Harry’s promised you’ll come visit in a couple of weeks,” she responds primly and Louis thinks if she were younger she’d probably add a petulant “ _so there_ ” to the end of her sentence.

“Did he now?” Louis asks, raising his eyebrows and glancing in Harry’s direction.

Harry just keeps on smiling and offers him a shrug. “No reason why we shouldn’t stop off to see her when we come visit our mums, Lou.”

“It’s so nice you boys are still friends,” his nan sighs happily, eyes flitting between them. “I worry about my Louis all alone in that big city, you know Harry?”

“I’m not alone,” Louis protests instantly. “I have Harry.”

Harry’s expression melts at that and Louis can see everything in his eyes that he can’t say out loud. The “I love you”s he’s been choking back for three days.

His Nan makes a cooing noise not unlike the one Jay had made in the car as she takes Harry’s hand in hers. “I’m so happy for you two,” she exclaims. “And who knows maybe next year it’ll be your wedding,” she adds suggestively,  _winking_  at Louis. He just saw his nan wink. He will never recover from this.

“Oh we’re not-“ Harry tries to deny but his cheeks are flushed and Louis can tell he’s trying not to preen too much.

“I know what I know,” she cuts him off enigmatically. “I trust my eyes, Harry dear.”

With that, she winks  _again_  and mentions something about finding his aunt before strolling away

What just happened?

“What just happened?” Harry asks dumbly.

Louis is still staring after his nan in shock but shakes himself at Harry’s voice. They lock eyes and there’s a single moment where they’re both silent before they burst out laughing.

“Did my nan just try to set us up?” Louis wheezes, leaning against the wall for support.

“To be fair,” Harry snickers, wiping at his eyes. “Her eyes don’t lie.”

“True,” Louis chuckles, clearing his throat in an attempt to sober up. When their laughter has finally petered off he takes a measured step forward. If anyone is looking they’d still seem a fair distance apart as they lean against the wall but a glance at the floor would reveal that the tips of their shoes are touching.

“So,” Louis starts, eyes lazily dragging up over Harry’s torso to meet his gaze. He looks sinful in his suit and Louis’ been dying to get his hands on him since he saw him in front of the church. “I think it’d be easier to sneak off  _now_  rather than when the meal starts, don’t you?”

Harry’s eyebrows quirk at that, his expression slipping into a smirk. There’s a mischievous glint in his eyes now as he gives Louis a considering onceover. “Oh really?”

“Saw a supply closet in the hallway by the toilets when we were here yesterday,” he suggests quietly, curling his hands into fists by his sides so he doesn’t reach out for Harry like he wants to.

“Classy,” Harry snorts but he still seems to do a quick scan of the room to make sure no one’s looking at them. “I go and you follow in thirty seconds?” he mutters under his breath, smiling at someone that passes them.

“Deal,” Louis agrees quietly. “Go.”

Harry casually pushes off the wall and saunters through the room and he’s  _so_  fucking swinging his hips on purpose, fucking hell Harry’s gonna be the death of him.

Counting in his head, Louis carefully avoids eye contact with everyone so no one tries to stop and chat. He can chat later, right now he needs to get his hands on his boy and muss up his suit a little.

After thirty agonising seconds Louis slips out of the room, keeping his head down as he passes relatives and family friends. He’s not ashamed to say that when he enters the deserted hallway he picks up the pace a little – not  _running_ …just not…walking either.

By the time he reaches the supply closet his patience has been essentially obliterated and he tears open the door far more forcefully than necessary. It doesn’t matter anyway because the moment he’s through the threshold Harry’s slamming him back against the door, effectively sealing it shut. Louis still throws out a hand to twist the lock just in case.

“That was longer than thirty seconds,” Harry complains, words getting lost between them as he crushes their lips together.

“Hmph,” is Louis’ succinct reply before he decides winding his fingers through Harry’s hair is a far more urgent task than talking.

As soon as Louis has a firm grip, he  _tugs_ , causing Harry to let out a broken groan as he begins sucking on Louis’ bottom lip. Harry’s hands slide under his suit jacket, fingers clutching at the shirt beneath it and they’re definitely going to have to spend an inordinate amount of time in the bathroom fixing themselves later but Louis doesn’t particularly care right now.

“Baby,” he mumbles, words muffled by Harry’s mouth – Harry’s  _hot, insistent_  mouth that’s doing things that are making him feel a little lightheaded. “Baby,” he repeats, pushing Harry away only slightly and replacing his mouth with a thumb to Harry’s lip. “What do you want?”

Harry’s response is to suck Louis’ thumb into his mouth which only causes Louis’ eyes to darken and his brain to short-circuit. When Harry seems sure he has Louis pliant against him he leans forward, releasing Louis’ thumb to mouth along his jaw. “Well ideally,” he begins conversationally as if he’s _not_  driving Louis to insanity. “I’d like to fuck you. But that could get messy and people would definitely notice if we changed clothes.”

Louis nods feebly, eyes slipping shut as he feels his throat go dry, one hand still twisted in Harry’s curls while the other clutches at his shoulder.

“So I guess reciprocal blowjobs it is,” Harry sighs airily and Louis will literally never understand how he can somehow feign nonchalance right now – Louis feels like he’s going to shake out of his skin if he doesn’t get to touch Harry soon.

“That okay with you?” Harry asks lowly, lips brushing over his pulse point just above the collar of his shirt.

Louis replies by dragging Harry up for another searing kiss, using his hands to guide Harry where he wants him, to kiss him like he fucking means it. It’s worth it to see the dazed look in Harry’s eyes when they pull apart. He blinks for a moment before his gaze refocuses and flicks up to meet Louis’.

“I’m going first,” he whispers and Louis absolutely does  _not_  trust the look on his face right now but then Harry’s dropping to his knees in front of him so really, Louis has no room to complain.

Harry settles for untucking his shirt first, opening a couple of the bottom buttons so Louis’ lower abdomen is exposed. It’s what Harry always does; he always goes for Louis’ tummy first because he knows it turns Louis’ legs to jelly. He presses soft lingering kisses across Louis’ stomach, humming appreciatively when Louis winds his hands into his hair again. He doesn’t pull now – not yet anyway – he soothes and caresses until Harry’s practically purring, lips dropping lower without him seemingly even realising. (Harry might know all of Louis’ ticks but Louis definitely knows his too.)

After what feels like a lifetime, Harry’s hands reach for the button on Louis’ slacks. He pulls down the zipper with care, pushing Louis’ trousers halfway down his thighs as soon as he does. It’s both sweet relief and hell on earth when Harry starts mouthing at him through the fabric of his briefs and Louis can’t help the little whimper that escapes the back of his throat.

Harry’s gaze darts up at the sound, locking with Louis’ and Louis swears if he doesn’t fucking look away this is going to be over far too soon. Harry grins – he’s the  _worst_ – and sits back on his haunches, latching both his index fingers in the hem of Louis’ briefs and tugging them down tortuously slowly.

“Haz,” Louis whines, voice already sounding breathless to his own ears. “Come on, we don’t have long before someone comes looking for us.”

“Yeah  _that’s_  why you want me to hurry up,” Harry scoffs. “Not because my mouth is an inch away from your dick.”

Louis has a retort on his lips ready to quip but then Harry’s swallowing him down and well- they can bicker later.

Louis exhales sharply, thunking his head back against the door and absentmindedly tightening his hands in Harry’s hair. It’s dizzying and overwhelming - the feeling of the wet heat of Harry’s mouth. Louis can hardly convince himself to keep his eyes open long enough to watch before he inevitably has to squeeze them shut in an attempt to stave his impending orgasm. Because while he is aware they don’t have that much time, he’d still like to draw this out as long as possible.

He feels close already – too keyed up from having to keep touching Harry to a minimum – and Harry’s steadily sinking lower, curls brushing sensitive skin of Louis’ thighs. Louis feels weak, feels like his legs are about to give out and when Harry curls his tongue in the way that always makes Louis fall apart he has to bite down so hard on his lip to keep quiet he’s pretty sure he almost draws blood.

He’s seconds from slipping into a babbling mess and comparing Harry to every ethereal thing on the planet when there’s a knock on the door. “Louis, love?” his mum –  _his mum fucking fuck fuck_  – calls.

Louis jumps and Harry almost fucking chokes, pulling off him and coughing into his hand – when Louis imagined Harry choking on his dick, this wasn’t exactly what he’d had in mind.

“Louis?” his mum says again and Harry is staring up at him with horror in his eyes.

“What do we do?” he hisses, absently wiping at his mouth, but Louis is frozen. He’s fucking frozen because  _what do they do?_

“Get up,” he whispers frantically, catching Harry’s hands to help him stand. “Just a sec, mum!” he calls louder, bordering on hysterical.

“Pull your trousers up, Lou,” Harry reminds quietly, hastily trying to fix his hair – which is pretty much a lost cause right now since Louis’ been pulling on it for at least ten minutes.

“Are you okay?” Louis whispers because yeah they’re in deep shit right now but he still wants to make sure Harry didn’t actually hurt himself. He curves a hand around the side of Harry’s neck, thumb stroking over his jaw as Harry nods.

“Fine, love, it’s okay,” Harry promises, tucking his chin to kiss Louis’ palm before he steps back again and tries to make himself presentable.

Louis tucks himself back into his pants and rebuttons his trousers on autopilot, attempting to messily tuck his shirt back in.

“What are you doing in there, Lou?” his mum asks as the door handle jiggles and Louis is so fucking relieved he had the foresight to lock it. “Why is the door locked?”

Harry flicks on the light to make it look slightly less suspicious that they’re hiding in a closet while Louis runs a hand through his own hair and tries to straighten his tie.

“We definitely look like we were just getting each other off,” Harry says, looking slightly traumatised – his lips are still shiny and swollen and fuck, they’re never getting away with this. Louis just settles for tucking a stray curl behind Harry’s ear and making him take a large step back to put some distance between them.

He unlocks the door, feeling a little bit like he’s going to throw up but still he forces a smile onto his face when he meets his mum’s gaze.

“Cups!” he announces loudly, making her startle. “We needed cups!”

Once she recovers she narrows her eyes at them. “You needed cups?” she asks dubiously. Does Louis have a love bite from when Harry was kissing his neck? Shit, he doesn’t know.

“Yeah, plastic cups,” he insists. “The twins wanted them so we were just- looking. For them.”

“With the door locked?”

“That was my fault,” Harry says suddenly. He sounds a little unhinged but it’s better than nothing. “I accidentally locked us in. We’ve been trying to get out for the past few minutes.”

“Right-“ Jay starts but Louis doesn’t let her finish, grabbing a string of plastic cups from one of the shelves and twisting his other hand in Harry’s sleeve.

“Well we found the cups and we’re free so we better go give them out!” he proclaims, dragging Harry out of the closet and all but running past his mum.

“Lottie and Dave will be here any minute,” she calls after them.

“Got it!” Louis yells back, pulling Harry around the corner and directing him straight into the bathroom.

“Well it’s a good thing you brought me here because I think I’m gonna be sick,” Harry says dramatically as soon as the door swings shut behind them, taking a few steps into the room and crumpling against the sink.

Louis drops the stack of cups unceremoniously on the floor before joining him. “I’m scarred for life,” he replies dazedly. “I’m genuinely scarred for life.”

“I think your mum might be too,” Harry mutters, making Louis bark out a laugh – albeit a pained one.

He groans then, momentarily burying his face in his hands. “Let’s just clean up and get to the ballroom. We can’t go missing  _again_.”

Harry sighs and nods, dropping his head onto Louis’ shoulder. “Will you fix my hair for me?” he mumbles, voice still sounding a little raw.

Louis smiles, wraps an arm around him to support his weight and kisses his temple. “Sure, love.”

*

The dinner is…awkward. They’re at a table with Louis’ mum, Dan, Louis’ grandparents, Anne, Robin and Gemma, and the youngest twins. And well, it’s fair to say Louis hasn’t looked his mum in the eye in about half an hour. Harry has just been staring resolutely at his food ever since they sat down and Louis can’t tell if his mum has told anyone what she saw yet.

Thankfully, the only person that really has a conversation with them is Gemma – their parents and grandparents are still far too caught up in discussing the ceremony – and if she notices something’s off she doesn’t say anything. Ernie and Doris are a blessing in disguise, acting as the perfect buffer by keeping his mum occupied while she tries to make sure they eat all their dinner.

It isn’t until Louis’ gotten a couple of glasses of wine in him and they’re waiting for Lottie and Dave to cut the cake that he actually starts to loosen up, trusting his mum not to interrogate him until they’re alone. Which probably won’t be until tomorrow.

Harry seems a little more at ease too, even barking out his ridiculous hyena laugh at something Gemma says at one point. When he catches Louis’ eye after he’s quietened down he smiles – it’s small and he still looks close to blushing at any moment but it’s there. Louis just smiles back and gives him a tiny nod. It’s easier after that.

After listening to the various speeches of groomsmen, bridesmaids and parents, Louis knows it’s his turn. Clearing his throat and straightening his tie he stands up – but not before Harry squeezes his hand under the table and mouths, “ _Good luck_.”

Louis steels himself as he walks up to stand by the wedding party’s table, accepting the mic and a kiss on the cheek from his mum before he watches her return to her seat.

Show time, then.

Taking a deep breath, he puts on his game face. “Uh so I was planning on doing the threatening big brother act but I was warned this morning that might not go down too well.” He pauses while the room laughs politely, biting back a grin when he sees Lottie rolling her eyes exasperatedly at him but she’s still smiling – hasn’t stopped since the church.

“What I really wanted to say though,” he continues, turning away from the room at large to meet Lottie’s gaze. “Is that I’m really happy for you, Lotts. Being loved and being in love, it’s…it’s one of the best feelings in the world and I’m so excited that you get to experience that every day for the rest of your life. You deserve it, y’know? And I know you were always the cynical one,” he jokes, close enough to hear her scoff, close enough to see that her eyes are shining with unshed tears.

“But I’m glad Dave changed your mind and I’m so beyond thrilled that you’ve found someone you want to wake up with every morning and go to sleep with every night and experience everything else in between with. Because I’ve never had a doubt in my mind that you could achieve everything and anything you wanted but it’s quite nice to have someone there to experience it all with you, innit?” His face scrunches up in a grin, thoughts of Harry flooding his mind before he can help it.

“So,” he lets out on an exhale, getting ready to wrap up. “Congratulations. I hope every day you spend together feels just like today.”

He raises his glass when he finishes, pulling a stupid face at Lottie because everyone’s clapping and Lottie’s crying a bit and Louis is feeling far too emotional right now. He hurries back to his seat then, quickly handing the mic off to the waiter who’s standing near the cake, waiting for Dave and Lottie.

Louis sinks back into his chair gratefully, accepting the claps on the back and compliments about his speech with the wave of a hand and a bashful smile. It isn’t until he looks at Harry that his throat feels tight again. He has the softest look on his face, one filled with so much love and adoration and fuck, Louis  _knows_  this is Lottie’s wedding but he’d be lying if he said there haven’t been teeny, tiny moments all day where he’s felt like it’s theirs.

For now, he just links his ankle with Harry’s under the table and cheers along with everyone else as the newlyweds cut their cake.

It’s enough right now.

*

As the night progresses it’s fair to say they get spectacularly drunk.

Every time Louis looks Harry is dancing with his aunt or his nan or the twins or basically all of Louis’ relatives and it’s so fucking endearing; Louis is dying to cut in. In between that though, Harry grabs his hand and pulls them both into a huddle with the lads so they can jump too close to each other and inevitably bang heads while they sing Shut Up and Dance too loudly in each other’s ears.

It’s fun and Louis spends the majority of his time on the dancefloor with various friends and his sisters, doing a poor attempt at not spilling his drink.

The other option is remain at his table and have a constant stream of relatives harassing him about how  _your Harry has gotten quite handsome since he’s grown up, are you sure you don’t want to snatch him up?_  Or  _are you sure you’re not lonely in London, Louis? My friend Judith has a nephew there if you’re interested…_ Or the kicker –  _Louis love, are you positive nothing’s going on between you and your friend Harry? I think he might fancy you, you know…_

So yeah, the dancefloor is mostly his safe haven for the night.

At some point past midnight the DJ circles back to playing slow songs and Louis is sitting alone at his table, itching to go find Harry and dance with him but knowing he shouldn’t. They’ve kept their distance so far when it comes to the slow songs – even if they could probably get away with blaming it on the alcohol.

It’s at that moment that Harry comes up behind him, crouching down and fitting his hands to Louis’ waist before leaning in to whisper in his ear. “Come outside with me, Lou.”

Louis ignores the shiver Harry’s hushed voice sends down his spine, just nods and stands, turning on his heel to see Harry dimpling at him. Without another word, Louis steps around his now vacated chair and begins to lead Harry out to the courtyard.

It’s deserted out there even though it’s a mild night and the entire garden has been done up with fairy lights for the reception.

“What are we doing out here, H?” he asks when Harry starts directing them down a short path.

When they’re far enough away from the door that no one can see them but not so far that they can’t hear the music filtering outside, Harry stops. Turning around, he holds his arms out to Louis.

“Dance with me?” he whispers.

Louis’ not gonna lie, in that moment with Harry’s eyes twinkling in the fairy lights and the soft echo of Can’t Help Falling In Love With You playing in the background, he feels a little bit like Harry’s just taken his breath away.

He folds into Harry’s arms instantly, clasping one of his hands while the other slides over his shoulder. Harry winds his free arm around Louis’ waist, inching closer until their chests are flush together. They start to sway then, gently, barely even moving their feet.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do this,” Louis murmurs, leaning in to rest his forehead against Harry’s before closing his eyes.

“Feels a little bit like the first dance at our wedding, doesn’t it?” Harry replies, nostalgia tinging his voice with affection.

“Our first dance was on a beach in Barcelona in the middle of the night,” Louis reminds, voice barely above a hushed whisper – this moment feels too quiet for anything louder. Rolling their foreheads together, he pulls their joined hands closer to their chests.

“Yeah and you looked just as beautiful then as you do now.”

Louis’ eyes are still closed but he can see the look on Harry’s face, knows exactly how his mouth is tilted and the depth of his dimple and the crinkle in the corners of his eyes. He thinks if he opens his eyes he might not be able to stop himself from kissing him though.

And if he starts he’s not sure he’ll ever stop.

“I love you,” is his answer. It’s the only thing he can think to say, the only thing that means enough, that conveys everything he feels in three simple words.

“I can’t wait to put our rings back on,” Harry breathes, voice tinged with longing, and Louis does open his eyes then, gaze immediately focusing on the bump underneath Harry’s shirt - their wedding rings still being kept safe on his necklace.

“Me too, baby,” he sighs, giving in just a little and allowing himself to smudge a kiss on Harry’s jaw.

Harry responds by pressing his smile into Louis’ cheek and it feels better than anything else in the world ever has. They don’t talk much after that; just continue to sway half-heartedly while Harry hums the lyrics under his breath. Louis could go to sleep like this. He could curl up in Harry’s arms and stay like this forever and he thinks it would be enough.

As the closing notes of the song slowly trickle out, Harry’s hand travels from his waist to cup Louis’ cheek. Louis leans into him, parts his lips to meet Harry’s and all but melts against him when they kiss.

He thinks he knows what Harry meant when he said this reminded him of their first dance as a married couple. It’s the feeling. It’s the same feeling Louis had on a deserted beach with his boy in his arms and it had only been a matter of hours since their first kiss but Louis was sure he’d never felt more settled, more whole and more content than he’d felt in that moment with Harry singing in his ear and sand under their feet.

He remembers thinking one thing, just one thing.  _I could do this for the rest of my life_. The way his heart sped up when he realised he gets to still gives him tingles when he thinks about it.

Harry’s smiling against his mouth now, not enough to break the kiss but enough that it makes Louis want to smile back, want to hold him closer and never let go. He’s so lost in it he doesn’t even hear the approaching footsteps until there’s a gasped,  _“I knew it!”_ coming from behind them.

They break apart probably slower than they should, given the circumstance, but Louis feels too crippled with dread to actually move. Because judging by the look on Harry’s face, whoever is standing behind Louis’ shoulder isn’t someone who’s supposed to see them.

Slowly, he turns around, reluctantly slipping out of Harry’s arms only to come face to face with Lottie. And his mum. And Gemma. And Harry’s mum.

Okay then.

Of course, at that exact moment Niall, Zayn and Liam come crashing outside in a tangle of limbs yelling various combinations of, “No, don’t go out there!”

“I fucking knew it!” Lottie announces gleefully, clapping her hands together and effectively breaking the silence. “I  _knew_  you were dating.”

Well, it’s now or never.

“Actually-“ Louis starts but Gemma interrupts him.

“You two are honestly the least subtle people in the world, do you know that?” she adds, looking so fucking smug Louis feels himself flinch when he tries to look her in the eye. “You’ve been bloody mooning at each other all weekend! The amount of heart eyes you were sporting, ridiculous.”

Anne joins in with a laugh at that, shaking her head fondly. “You could’ve just  _said_ , you know? I would’ve let Lou stay over, H.”

“Well mum-” Harry tries but then Louis’ mum interrupts him.

“Honestly boys, why did you feel like you had to hide? You know we support you.” She looks so open, her gaze betraying nothing but love and oh shit, she’s gonna  _kill them_.

“The thing is-“ Harry starts again but Louis can’t do another long-winded explanation, he needs to rip the band aid off.

“We’re married,” he blurts out, immediately cringing when the courtyard goes horribly, deafeningly silent.

All four of them are standing there with the exact same expressions of incredulity, mouths gaping open and eyes staring blankly at them. Louis can see the lads still standing in the doorway like they’re about to watch a car crash happen in slow motion.

Gemma is the one to ultimately break the silence with an extremely confused, “…Pardon?”

Followed by Lottie’s much more shrill,  _“Excuse me?!”_

Their mums still haven’t spoken. Oh god, oh god. Okay, this is fine. This is _fine_. 

“Yeah,” Harry answers dumbly. “So we kind of…eloped?”

 _That_  gets a reaction.

 _“What?!”_  their mothers shriek at the same time and Louis just about notices Niall facepalming before the girls descend on them.

“What do you mean you  _eloped?”_

“When did this happen?”

“How come you never  _told_  us?”

“We didn’t even know you were  _dating_ -“

“Okay!” Louis says loudly enough that they all stop abruptly. “Just- it was nine months ago.”

“ _Nine months ago_ -“

And wow, okay Louis is officially done trying to explain, he’s just gonna let them yell at him until they get it out of their system.

Harry, bless him, actually tries to keep going. “We didn’t tell you because it was really spur of the moment, okay?”

“And what about the nine months afterwards?!” Gemma demands derisively.

“We…” Harry looks at Louis, expression just as helpless as Louis feels before he turns back to his sister. “We were scared?”

“Oh come _on_ , Harry-“

“Look, the boys freaked out when they found out and we realised you lot might be mad at us and the longer we waited, the harder it got to tell you so we just kept putting it off-“

“And we didn’t want to spoil Lottie’s wedding by telling everyone this weekend,” Louis takes over because Harry’s about to go blue in the face if he doesn’t take a breath soon. Harry nods fervently in agreement, fingers slipping into Louis’ and lacing them together.

“But-“ Lottie stops herself, eyes zeroing in on their hands as she suddenly quietens down. When she meets their eyes again her expression has softened just a bit.

“Girls,” Jays interrupts before she remembers to add, “And boys. Can you give me and Anne a minute alone with Louis and Harry, please?”

The lads need no further prompting, tripping over each other in their haste to race back inside. Lottie and Gemma definitely look like they want to protest but they still trudge back inside to the reception without a word.

“Now,” Anne says genially. “Perhaps you could explain again? From the beginning?”

Louis casts a sidelong glance at Harry, seeing the look of trepidation on his face that mirrors Louis’ own before he turns back to their mothers and steels himself with a breath. “It’s my fault,” he admits.

“What? Louis, no!” Harry immediately protests, taking an involuntary step closer and curling his hand around Louis’ elbow. Louis’ gaze snaps to him only to find Harry’s eyes boring into his own.

“We both lied,” Harry continues, looking away and meeting their mums’ gazes evenly. “We both agreed to keep this from you.”

“It was my idea though, Haz,” Louis corrects softly.

“Yeah and I agreed,” Harry repeats vehemently. “Look, the truth is, we weren’t exactly thinking straight when we got married. We didn’t even _think_  of how anyone else would react until we were on a plane home from Barcelona,” he explains with a half-laugh and the fond expression on his face is enough to make Louis’ mouth curl up just a bit in the corners.

“We didn’t mean to keep it from you,” Louis swears. “And certainly not for this long, it’s just- well how do you tell your mums you realised you were head over heels in love with each other to the point where you decided to get married hours after you confessed your feelings?”

Anne and Jay actually look like they’re trying to bite back a smile at that – okay, so they’re not completely livid. This is good. This is progress.

“I’m sorry we lied and we definitely went about it in the worst way possible but if I had to go through all this again with same result, I’d do it,” Louis says quietly, lifting his arm out of Harry’s grasp and folding their fingers together again. “I’d go through this ridiculousness all over again if it meant Harry would still be my husband.”

“Me too,” Harry agrees determinedly, squeezing Louis’ hand.

There’s a pause – quite possibly the longest pause of Louis’ life – until Jay’s expression finally breaks into a grin. “We’re not mad you’re married, loves,” she says in the kind of soothing voice only his mother has ever perfected. “We’re happy for you, so incredibly happy.”

“Do you know how long we’ve been waiting for this?” Anne quips, eyes lit up with same kind of mischievousness he always sees in Harry.

Louis huffs a laugh at that – it probably sounds a lot more like a sigh of relief but the way Harry’s whole body sags like the tension has completely drained out of him suggests he’s not the only one feeling relieved.

“But we do wish you’d told us sooner,” Louis’ mum continues with a pointed look at them both and he automatically feels like a chastised child.

“I know you think we’d be cross with you for getting married without us there,” Anne says. “But, darlings, you should know by now that nothing makes us happier than seeing you two happy.”

“We’re sorry,” Harry apologises solemnly.

Jay looks between them for a moment, eyes lingering on their hands just like Lottie had, before she huffs and opens her arms. “Well come here then.”

In a matter of seconds Louis and Harry are enveloped in a hug with their mums – and mother-in-laws – and it’s probably the first time Louis’ taken a breath all weekend.

“That’s it, yeah?” Anne asks after pressing a kiss to Harry’s hair and stepping back. “No more surprises? No babies on the way or anything?”

Harry barks a laugh, shaking his head as he grins over at Louis. “Not yet.”

Louis is too busy smiling at Harry to notice the knowing looks their mums share.

“Well how about we join the party again, hmm?” Louis’ mum suggests. “Lottie might want to wring your neck but I’ll restrain her while you dance with your husband for real.”

“The bride gets what the bride wants,” Louis tries to joke, mostly in a failed attempt to hide his stinging eyes and the lump in his throat. Fuck, he loves his mum so much.

“Mm and I’d like both my children to still be in one piece at the end of the night, thank you very much.”

Harry giggles, answering before Louis gets a chance to. “Don’t worry, Lou. I’ll protect you,” he promises, wrapping an arm over Louis’ chest and resting his chin on his shoulder.

“Like you’d ever win a fight against Lottie,” Louis scoffs, a begrudging smile slipping onto his face when Harry laughs right by his ear.

“Oh you’re so sweet!” Anne says, making a noise suspiciously close to a squeal. “Go on, go back inside. I think there’re only one or two songs left. Jay’s right, you should dance.”

Louis nods, reaching for Harry’s hand again to lead him back inside but he pauses in the doorway, looking back to their parents. “Thank you,” he says. “For everything.”

“We love you,” Harry adds softly.

“You can repay us with another wedding ceremony,” Jay says magnanimously. “One we’re _actually_ invited to.”

“And grandchildren,” Anne adds, nodding in agreement.

Louis considers protesting but who is he kidding, he knows they’re gonna end up delivering on both accounts. So he just laughs and assures them with a, “No problem,” before leading Harry back inside.

It’s half empty at this point, with most of the older guests already retreating to their rooms. Lottie and Dave are making their rounds, saying goodbye to guests and thanking them for coming while Gemma and Fizzy seem to be twirling each other at the dancefloor - it’s definitely a ploy because their mouths are moving a mile a minute and Louis knows for a fact Gemma is filling her in on what just transpired outside. He spots the lads camped out at one of the tables with the last dregs of their beers but he doesn’t pay them too much mind, more focused on following Harry onto the dancefloor.

Louis is extremely aware of the stares from their immediate family, suggesting it’s definitely no longer just Gemma and Lottie who know, but any nervousness he feels disappears as soon as he meets Harry’s eyes.

Harry leads him to the middle of the dancefloor, doing an exaggerated bow and reaching out to kiss Louis’ hand. Louis makes a noise that should probably be a laugh but is far too embarrassing to be classed as one and drags Harry up into a proper standing position again, sliding his arms over his shoulders.

“You’re an idiot,” he murmurs, trying and failing to keep the grin off his face as Harry’s hands fit to his waist.

“I’m  _romantic_ ,” Harry corrects, a giggle escaping when Louis rolls his eyes. “I love you,” he adds lowly, tipping their foreheads together and darting in for a kiss.

“Love you more,” Louis whispers, dropping his head to rest on Harry’s shoulder. “Thank you for being here with me.”

“Nowhere else I’d be, is there?”

“Still. You’re the best, H.”

“Hmm,” Harry hums, drawing the sound out. “Nope, pretty sure you are! Now, come on. Twirl me. Our sisters are showing us up.”

Louis laughs, takes a step away from Harry and grabs his hand, raising their arms in an arc for Harry to spin under which is a disaster because Harry’s taller than him  _anyway_  and his boots always add a couple of inches.

But it makes Harry laugh, which makes Louis laugh, and that’s enough.

When they crash back together, Harry’s flushed and still chuckling, muffling the sound against Louis’ mouth and this right here- this is heaven.

“So now that we don’t have to sneak into each other’s rooms, what d’you say to going upstairs and getting out of these suits?” Harry murmurs quietly, definitely too low for Fizzy or Gemma to hear – Louis hopes.

“Just to sleep though, right?” Louis asks sarcastically, snorting when he sees Harry’s pouty face. “Come on then, you big baby,” he sighs long-sufferingly, pulling Harry towards the exit and pointedly ignoring the wolf whistles coming from what he  _knows_ is the boys’ table.

Interrogations can wait ‘til tomorrow.

*

They’re tangled together, clothes strewn on the floor, expensive hotel sheets skating over their skin and Louis is kissing Harry for the first time in three days without the fear of anyone walking in on them.

It’s starts off slow – long, languid kisses that make Louis’ brain feel sluggish but he knows they’re both getting antsy, too worked up to convince themselves not to speed things up.

“Where’s-“ Harry pulls away with a shaky breath, mouth dropping open slightly wider when Louis’ hand tightens in his hair. “Where’s your bag, Lou?”

“Chair,” is all Louis manages to breathe out before Harry’s lips are on him again, prying his own mouth open until their tongues collide. Louis skims his hand down Harry’s back, palm sliding over the curve of his ass to pull them flush together, chest to chest and knees locked.

It takes a few minutes before either of them can actually convince themselves to pull away from each other long enough to leave the bed and go rooting in Louis’ bag. Louis isn’t ashamed to admit he keeps drawing Harry back in every time he makes a feeble attempt to pull away.

“Lou,” Harry laughs, turning his face to the side when Louis tries to kiss him again. Which, fine. Louis can just kiss his neck instead. “Baby, I’ll be  _right back_.”

Louis huffs, dropping his head back onto the pillow and letting Harry climb off him.

He barely has a second to catch his breath before Harry is scuttling back, shoving the covers to the end of the bed and straddling Louis’ hips, dropping a bottle of lube on the bed next to them.

“Now kiss me again,” Harry demands, voice giggly and a blush high on his cheek and jesus christ, Louis is so fucking in love with him.

“So demanding,” Louis mutters, sitting up and cupping a hand around Harry’s jaw to connect their mouths again.

“You love it,” Harry exhales when Louis turns his attention to Harry’s neck, kissing down the column of his throat and across his collarbones.

“Maybe,” Louis admits, biting down on the skin of Harry’s chest and locking a finger in the chain around his neck - the one that leaves their wedding rings sitting against Harry’s sternum, just above the butterfly. “Lie down for me, love.”

Harry nods, easing off Louis’ lap and rolling them over until his head is settled against the pillow and Louis is hovering over him. “Ready?” he whispers, hand fumbling for the bottle of lube.

“Wait,” Harry stalls, reaching up and unclasping the necklace from around his neck. Louis watches him as he slides both rings off the chain and drops it on the bedside table. “I believe this is yours?” he says softly, holding Louis’ wedding ring out to him.

Louis wordlessly leans more heavily on his right elbow to keep himself propped up and holds his left hand out to Harry.

Harry’s eyes glint when their gazes lock and he carefully fits the band back onto Louis’ ring finger. Louis can’t help it when he shivers, feels like it’s nine months ago and he’s telling Harry he loves him for the first time, feels like they’re pledging themselves to each other all over again.

He swallows hard, carefully taking Harry’s own ring from him and catching his hand. Gently, he slips the ring on before brushing a kiss to Harry’s knuckles. Harry responds by lacing their fingers together when Louis leans back.

Harry dimples up at him, eyes soft and laced with affection as his teeth sink into his bottom lip and he draws a leg around Louis’ hip. “’m ready now.”

Louis kisses him. And kisses him. And kisses him.

*

Brunch the next morning is only a little terrifying.

They stumble down to the dining room with joined hands and nervous stomachs – Louis might also be wearing Harry’s t-shirt because it’s soft and smells like him and he’s  _allowed_  now. They enter with some trepidation, warily eyeing the room for their siblings.

Lottie is the first one to come up to them.

She gives them an appraising look, eyes once again lingering on their hands, before she punches each of them in the shoulder –  _hard_  – and pulls them into a hug. “Lie to me again about major life events and I’ll shave Harry’s hair off in his sleep,” she threatens, smiling cheerily as she lets them go.

“Noted,” Harry replies shakily and her smile deepens.

“In all seriousness,” she continues, voice sounding much more gentle than it had a moment ago. “I’m really, really happy for you.”

“Thanks, Lotts,” Louis murmurs, feeling a little choked up at the sincerity in her tone. “We’re happy for you too, y’know?”

She simply nods, cheeks pinkening slightly, and wanders back to Dave’s side, fitting herself under his arm and joining his conversation with Dan.

Louis blows out a breath and leans into Harry. “Well that’s one down,” he mutters.

“And here’s one more,” Harry warns as Gemma stalks over to them.

“So how cruel would it be for me to punch you both in the exact same spot Lottie just did?” she asks casually.

“Excessively,” Harry frowns, unconsciously leaning away from his sister.

Gemma only laughs, shaking her head. “It’s fine, the look of fear on both your faces will fuel me for a while.”

Louis rolls his eyes – mostly to cover up the relief he feels knowing he  _won’t_  get punched again.

“For what it’s worth,” she adds, mouth quirking up in an affectionate smile. “You really are perfect for each other. ‘M glad you finally realised it.”

“Thank you, Gems,” Harry answers and Louis can definitely see him starting to get a bit teary and that won’t do at all so Louis takes the initiative and draws the three of them into a hug. Harry’s sniffling a bit but the only people who can hear are Louis and Gemma and they won’t tell.

Gemma leaves them be after that and they actually manage to sit down, joining Niall, Liam and Zayn at a table.

“So what’s the damage?” Liam asks, wincing slightly in anticipation.

“Not so bad so far,” Louis says, eyes trailing over to where their parents are sitting together one table over.

“Except for the bruises currently forming on our upper arms from Lottie,” Harry adds with a chuckle.

“Also that,” Louis laughs.

“So we’re all good?” Zayn checks. “Forgiveness all around?”

Harry nods, blowing out a breath. “I think so,” he says hopefully.

Niall is just about to ask them something else when he’s suddenly interrupted. Phoebe and Daisy appear on either side of Harry and Louis’ chairs, peering at them curiously.

“Mum says you’re married,” Phoebe says dubiously.

“That’s right,” Louis answers warily.

“Since when?” Daisy asks, eyebrows pinching up in confusion.

“About nine months ago,” Harry replies gently. “Even got the rings and everything, see?” He lifts his left hand, holding it out for Daisy and Phoebe to inspect.

“Mum says her and Anne are making you have another wedding.”

Louis looks at Harry, watches as they both flounder for a response before he sighs and smiles at his sisters. “Yeah, loves. We probably will.” He can’t help but check for Harry’s reaction out of the corner of his eye, chest feeling full at the look of awe on Harry’s face.

Daisy and Phoebe share a look before turning back to them. “Can we be bridesmaids?”

“Sure,” Harry laughs and they nod in satisfaction, moving simultaneously to wrap Harry and Louis in a hug.

They skip away with an exclaimed, “Congratulations!” over their shoulders and Louis’ chest feels about ten pounds lighter. The only person left to say anything really is Fizzy who – speak of the devil – makes her way to the table as soon as Daisy and Phoebe leave.

Surprisingly, she doesn’t say anything at all, just crouches down and envelopes them both in an embrace. “I’m so, ridiculously happy for you,” she whispers, kissing Louis’ cheek before turning to kiss Harry’s.

“Love you, Fizz,” Louis responds, voice catching as she squeezes them once more before letting go. Her smile is blinding when she stands up straight again and Louis can only nod at her, feeling seconds away from bursting into tears. She nods back, allowing her hands to linger on their shoulders before she slips away as easily as she came.

“We don’t deserve our family,” Louis mumbles, looking at Harry in shock.

“No, we definitely do not,” Harry agrees, surreptitiously wiping at his eyes. “But I think we might deserve to make it through brunch without getting emotional so let’s eat please.”

“Sounds like a plan,” he laughs, forcibly clearing his throat and taking a look at the spread in front of them for the first time since they sat down. Lottie and Dave really went all out.

Brunch is a noisy affair after that, with people travelling from table to table to reminisce about the night before and make promises about the next family reunion. At some point, Harry nudges him to catch his attention. When Louis looks at him he has the most relaxed expression on his face Louis’ seen all weekend.

“This weekend wasn’t so bad, was it?” Harry asks softly.

As Louis looks around the room at all his family together and happy, he feels the nerves he’s been pushing down for days finally settle. “No,” he agrees, reaching out to take Harry’s hand. “It wasn’t.”

*

_Three months later_

“Knock, knock,” Lottie singsongs, rapping her knuckles on the open door to Louis’ dressing room.

Louis pauses from where he’s straightening his tie in the mirror, raising his eyebrows in a half-assed greeting. “Hi Lotts.”

“So big brother,” she smirks, sauntering into the room. “Ready to get married?”

“I’m  _already_  married,” Louis rolls his eyes, attempting to fix his fringe before Lottie bats his hand away.

“You’ll mess it up,” she chastises, delicately running nimble fingers through his hair to put it in place. “And I  _know_  you’re already married but you’re actually doing it the proper way this time.”

“Last time was the proper way too, Lottie,” he mutters petulantly but he holds still nonetheless while Lottie fidgets with his suit.

“Yeah but none of us were there to celebrate with you.” She brushes non-existent lint from his shoulders before stepping back with a satisfied grin. “Gotta admit, as far as one year anniversaries go, you kicked ass. How are me and Dave meant to top that?”

“Guess me and Harry are just better at being married than you,” he retorts amusedly, raising his eyebrows in a challenge.

“Not a chance,” Lottie quips before her smile softens. “Now let’s go, your boy’s waiting.”

Louis feels the fluttering in his stomach flare up again and pulls Lottie in for a hug, squeezing her probably a little too tight but she doesn’t complain, bless her.

“Let’s go get my boy.”

*

They enter from opposite sides rather than walking down the aisle – mostly because they couldn’t agree on which one of them should walk first – arriving at the centre of the altar at the same time. Louis doesn’t hesitate to reach out and hold Harry’s hands as soon as he’s close enough.

Harry dimples at him, eyes already shining with tears just waiting to be shed and no- Harry can’t cry. If Harry cries, Louis will definitely cry and Louis doesn’t think he’ll make it through their ceremony if he starts to cry.

So he laughs, clears his throat and clutches Harry’s hands tightly, chancing a glance at their friends and family sitting around them. He has to look away almost immediately when he sees the expression on his and Harry’s mums’ faces.

Their officiant at least offers him a reassuring smile when he casts a glimpse at her before she starts the ceremony. Louis kind of blacks out a bit in the beginning, vaguely hearing how they’re, “gathered here today to celebrate the renewal of Harry and Louis’ vows,” but he’s mostly too lost in Harry’s gaze to pay much attention.

His heart is beating a mile a minute and his mouth is dry and the only thing keeping him together right now is Harry’s hands in his.

Still, he hears it when Harry is asked to recite his vows again.

“Lou,” Harry breathes, nervous smile quirking at the corners of his mouth. “I think there was always a part of me that knew.” He pauses and Louis sees his throat bob like he’s trying to hold back his tears. God, he wants nothing more than to kiss him.

“I think I always knew you were it. Even when you were six and I was four and we were running around the garden pretending to be Peter Pan and Wendy.”

Louis barks out a laugh, shaking his head and clenching his eyes closed in an attempt to stop a stray tear from slipping out.

“And even though it took us twenty bloody years to realise it, I wouldn’t change any part of my life with you. Because every single second has meant the world to me.” Harry’s voice quivers just a bit, not loud enough for anyone else to notice but Louis does. He squeezes Harry’s hands again and mouths, “ _Love you_.”

Harry nods at him, letting out a shaky exhale. “I don’t really remember our last vows,” he admits sheepishly, earning a laugh from their guests. “I guess I was a bit too caught up in finally getting to tell you I loved you and having it mean what it did. …So I’m not sure exactly what I promised you a year ago on a rainy September day in a courthouse in London but I can tell you what I promise you now.

“I promise to love and cherish every single piece of you, even the parts of you that you don’t always like. I promise to be your best friend for the rest of our lives and whatever lives come after that. I promise to kiss you all the time and tell you I love you every day and clean up after you and cook you dinner and do my best to always make you happy.” He pauses again, trying to blink away the tears but it doesn’t seem to work. Louis just smiles tenderly at him and lets go of his hand to reach up to and wipe under his eye with his thumb.

“You’re just gonna make me cry even more, Lou,” Harry mumbles, huffing a laugh.

“Sorry, baby,” he whispers, grinning so hard his cheeks hurt, as he slips his hand back into Harry’s.

“I love you so much, Louis. You’re half my heart and half my soul and I-“ he stops again, face pinched like he’s trying to think of exactly what he wants to say. Ultimately he just shrugs his shoulders with a helpless smile. “I just want it to be you and I forever.”

Louis doesn’t even bother trying to wipe away the tears pooling in his eyes, just nods fervently and tightens his hold on Harry’s hands.

“If you’ll have me!” Harry adds suddenly, eliciting another laugh from the crowd and making Louis’ eyes crinkle at the corners.

The officiant smiles, gesturing to Louis. “Louis, what would you like to promise Harry?”

Louis’ gaze trails back to Harry. To his husband. To the love of his life. And he takes a steadying breath. “Harry,” he murmurs. “I-“ he stops for a moment before he sighs, “You’re just- you’re it, Haz. You’re everything. You’re it for me, you always have been. And I think, like you, a part of me always knew that. It was always different with you.”

Harry nods like he agrees, absently sniffling, and Louis  _needs_  to kiss him.

“I really wanna kiss you right now,” he admits, derailing his own speech entirely but at least he makes Harry laugh.

“But I’ll wait,” he grins, voice starting to sound thick with the tears he’s choking back. “I can wait a few more minutes. …I don’t think I’ll ever be able to put into words what I feel with you but I promise to spend the rest of my life trying to. Because god Haz, it’s just better with you. Everything. It always has been. Life just feels better when I’m next to you.”

“ _So_ ,” he draws out, sweeping his thumbs in circles over the backs of Harry’s hands. “I also don’t remember our vows from last time-“ The crowd laughs again and Harry starts giggling, eyes still shining as he gently swings their joined hands. “So hopefully I can make these ones a bit more eloquent.”

“I promise to take care of you and play with your hair whenever you want. I promise to always hold your hand and only ever stand on your left side because I know you like it better when the rope and anchor link up.”

Harry laughs again, muttering, “I do,” under his breath, only loud enough for Louis to hear.

“I promise to treat you how you deserve and give you the world. And just like I promised when you were four and I was six, I promise to your best friend. And just like I promised a year ago today, I promise to be your husband. Okay? We’re a forever kind of deal. No take-backs,” he teases, even as his lip quivers a bit. “I promise to be yours, always.

“Harry, I love you more than I ever thought possible to love another person and my heart is completely, irrevocably yours. You’re my home.”

Tears are falling steadily down both their cheeks now and Louis can’t help but laugh at how ridiculous they are. Harry – as always – is on the same wavelength, nose scrunching up as he starts to chuckle. Leaning in quickly like he thinks no one will notice if he moves fast enough, he presses their foreheads together and Louis feels himself go cross-eyed trying to keep his gaze on Harry’s smile.

“Alright, come on, you’re nearly there. You can wait another thirty seconds,” their officiant teases and Louis reluctantly puts some space between them again.

“Now,” she says, satisfied. “Do you Louis William Tomlinson take Harry Edward Styles to be your lawfully wedded husband? …Again?”

“I do,” Louis says, smiling so wide he doesn’t think his face can possibly contain it.

“And do you Harry Edward Styles take Louis William Tomlinson to be your lawfully wedded husband? Again?” Louis can hear the amusement in her voice but he couldn’t look away from Harry right now even if he wanted to.

Harry nods, a soft smile appearing on his lips. “Yes, of course. Always.”

“Well, then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you as husbands…again. You may now kiss.”

That’s all the prompting Louis needs before he’s reeling Harry in and crashing their lips together. They’re both smiling too much for it to be anything more than chaste but Louis doesn’t care because they are fireworks exploding behind his eyes and butterflies in his tummy and every other cliché thing you’re meant to feel in moments like this. He feels it all – always has with Harry.

He can hear people cheering and their tears still haven’t dried on their cheeks but Louis is in love. He is so, so, so in love with this boy in front of him and he still can’t believe this is his life.

Because what they did a year ago, at the time it was right for them and it was what they needed. It was  _theirs_. But Louis is so happy he could give Harry this, give him a day where they stand up in front of everyone they love and promise to give each other everything.

Because whether they’re whispering “I love you” under the covers in the secret of their bedroom or declaring it for the entire world to hear, standing on an altar in a room full of everyone they know, it’s still theirs. Just like it always has been. Just like it always will be.

Because for as long as Louis can remember he’s had people watch what he and Harry have and ask, “You really love him, don’t you?”

And for as long as Louis can remember he’s only ever had one answer.

“I do.”

(He thinks it might be the right one.)

*

 

**Author's Note:**

> Welp, I hope you liked it!!! I'd v much appreciate it if you let me know what you think, should you feel so inclined :')
> 
> And if you're looking for me on tumblr, you can find me at [ allyasavedtheday](http://allyasavedtheday.tumblr.com/) :) also the tumblr post for this fic is [here](http://allyasavedtheday.tumblr.com/post/139867426012/if-you-asked-me-if-i-love-him-id-lie-pairing) :D
> 
> Thank you for reading <3


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